A
Signs
oi the
SPIRIT
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2019 with funding from
World Council of Churches
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world council of churches
Signs
oi the
SPIRIT
official
report
seventh assembly
Canberra, Australia, 7-20 February 1991
edited by michael kinnamm
WCC Publications, Geneva
Wm. B. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids
The report of the assembly is also available in French, German and Spanish, with
a personal introduction by the editor of that language edition.
Cover design: Edwin Hassink
Cover photo: WCC/Peter Williams
All photos by Peter Williams unless otherwise identified
ISBN 2-8254-1000-4 (WCC)
ISBN 0-8028-0628-7 (Eerdmans)
© 1991 WCC Publications, World Council of Churches,
150 route de Ferney, 1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland
Printed in Switzerland
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same
Spirit; (...) To one is given through the Spirit the
utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance
of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to
another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts
of healing by the one Spirit, to another the
working of miracles, to another prophecy, to
another the discernment of spirits, to another
various kinds of tongues, to another the
interpretation of tongues. All these are activated
by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each
one individually just as the Spirit chooses. For
just as the body is one and has many members,
and all the members of the body, though many,
are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one
Spirit we were all baptized into one body— Jews
or Greeks, slaves or free — and we were all made
to drink of one Spirit.
1 Cor. 12:4, 8-13 (NRSV)
It is not in [our] power to banish sin and death
from the earth, to create the unity of the Holy
Catholic Church, to conquer the hosts of Satan.
But it is within the power of God. ... As those
who wait in confidence and joy for their
deliverance, let us give ourselves to those tasks
which lie to our hands, and so set up signs. . . .
Amsterdam Assembly, 1948
Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the
Spirit is saying to the churches.
Rev. 2:7
.
-
O, Giver of life,
who brought all things into being,
sustain and replenish your whole creation
that it may reflect your glory.
Come, Holy Spirit,
fill all life with your radiance.
O, Spirit of Truth,
who convinces the world of sin,
consume, as a mighty fire,
the powers of evil that bind your people
and set us free to walk in your light.
Come, Holy Spirit,
and illumine our hearts and minds.
O, Spirit of unity,
judge, restore and call us again.
Bestow on us the gifts
that build us up into your people.
Come, Holy Spirit,
and light the flame of love
on the altar of our hearts.
O, Holy Spirit,
transform and sanctify us,
that we and all people
may have life in all its fullness.
Come, Holy Spirit,
renew the whole creation.
Litany used at the Canberra assembly
.
1 1
Contents
Preface . xiii
Come, Holy Spirit: The Assembly Message . 1
1. Canberra 1991 : A Personal Overview and
Introduction, by Michael Kinnamon . 5
1.1. The Task . 6
1.2. The Participants . 7
1.3. The World Context . 11
1.4. The Australian Context . 12
1.5. The Theme . 14
1.6. The Programme . 16
1.7. The Worship . 20
1.8. Surrounding Events and Programmes . 22
1.9. Behind the Scenes . 23
1.10. The Challenge of Canberra . 23
2. The Theme: “Come, Holy Spirit -
Renew the Whole Creation” . 27
2.1. Introduction . 27
2.2. The Holy Spirit, by Parthenios, Patriarch of Alexandria
and All Africa . 28
2.3. “Come, Holy Spirit - Renew the Whole Creation”, by
Chung Hyun Kyung . 37
3. The Sub-themes . 48
3.1. Introduction . 48
3.2. Report of Section I: “Giver of Life — Sustain Your
Creation!” . 54
3.3. Report of Section II: “Spirit of Truth — Set Us Free!” . 73
x Signs of the Spirit
3.4. Report of Section III: “Spirit of Unity - Reconcile Your
People!” . 96
3.5. Report of Section IV: “Holy Spirit - Transform and
Sanctify Us!” . Ill
4. The Work of the WCC: Past and Future . 123
4.1. Introduction . 123
4.2. Report of the Moderator, by Heinz Joachim Held. ... 127
4.3. Report of the General Secretary, by Emilio Castro ... 150
4.4. Report of the Reference Committee . 169
4.5. Report of the Programme Policy Committee . 183
4.6. Report of the Finance Committee . 192
5. Statements and Appeals on Public Issues . 202
5.1. Introduction . 202
5.2. Statement on the Gulf War, the Middle East and the
Threat to World Peace . 205
5.3. Statement on Indigenous Peoples and Land Rights —
Move beyond Words . 216
5.4. Statement on South Africa . 219
5.5. Statement on Internal Conflicts . 223
5.6. Statement on the Pacific . 226
5.7. Statement on the Baltic States and Other Regions of
Tension in the Soviet Union . 228
5.8. Appeal on Sri Lanka . 231
5.9. Appeal on El Salvador . 232
5.10. For Information . 233
6. The Report of the Seventh Assembly . 235
6.1. Introduction . 235
6.2. Report of the Report Committee . 236
7. Additional Documents . 259
7.1. Assembly Programme and Agenda . 261
7.2. Messages from Church Leaders . 265
7.3. Message from the Pre- Assembly Women’s Meeting . . 270
7.4. Message from the Pre- Assembly Youth Event . 272
7.5. Statement from Differently-abled Persons . 274
7.6. Statement Regarding WCC Action on Aboriginal Con¬
cerns . 276
7.7. Reflections of Orthodox Participants . 279
Contents xi
7.8. Evangelical Perspectives from Canberra . 282
7.9. Assembly Participants . 287
7.10. Assembly Committees and Section Leaders . 334
7.11. The Presidents and Members of the Central Committee
Elected in Canberra . 342
7.12. Member Churches, Associate Member Churches and
Associate Councils . 347
7.13. Constitution and Rules . 358
Acknowledgments . 389
Index . 391
.
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" _>r
Preface
Assemblies of the World Council of Churches are crucial events
for the ecumenical movement. Our growing together is marked by
such names as Amsterdam, New Delhi, Uppsala, Vancouver, each
one signalling new emphases and challenges in our attempts to follow
the leading of God’s Spirit towards deeper unity and more faithful
mission.
I am pleased to commend the official report of the WCC’s seventh
assembly which was held 7-20 February 1991 in the capital city of
Australia, Canberra. Each assembly leaves a legacy of reports and
addresses that deserve serious study in the churches. But an assembly can
never be reduced to such documentation. That is why this volume also
includes a personal overview by our editor as well as lively accounts of
the major plenary debates. Taken together, these materials provide a
comprehensive record of “Canberra”.
At this point, one can only speculate on what will be remembered
from the seventh assembly. Its theme, “Come, Holy Spirit — Renew the
Whole Creation”, was not only the first assemby theme to focus on the
activity of the Spirit but also the first to take the form of a prayer. The
Australian setting called the churches’ attention to an often-neglected part
of the world. At Canberra the church in China rejoined the global
fellowship, and .startling developments in South Africa and Europe were
celebrated and discussed. And, of course, Canberra will be remembered
as gathering under the shadow of war.
This assembly also placed enormous challenges on the agenda of the
WCC and its member churches. The question of the gospel’s relation to
culture was raised more directly and pointedly than ever before. While the
need for inculturation is widely accepted, the forms it must take and the
limits that must be set continue to be controversial. And questions of
“participation” — of women, youth, laity, and the differently-abled —
xiv Signs of the Spirit
cry out for further attention. So do questions raised about the limits of
participation.
Our thanks go to Michael Kinnamon, a former member of the WCC
staff, for his work in editing this official report in English. We are also
grateful to the editors of the other language editions, Walter Miiller-
Romheld (German), Marthe Westphal (French), and Hugo Ortega
(Spanish).
I hope that this volume will be given careful consideration as a guide
to future ecumenical work. It is also my sincere wish, however, that this
report, and the assembly it records, will be seen as a witness to the One
God of all creation, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
May we all be enabled to look for and to appropriate the signs of the
Spirit in our churches and our life together as a fellowship of churches.
Emilio Castro
General Secretary
World Council of Churches
/
Come , Holy Spirit:
The Assembly Message
The World Council of Churches is a “fellowship of churches
which confess the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Saviour according to
the scriptures and therefore seek to fulfill together their common
calling to the glory of the one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit”.
We have gathered together as the seventh assembly of the World
Council of Churches. Meeting in Canberra, Australia, from 7 to 20
February 1991, we send greetings to all churches, Christians and
peoples.
We were welcomed by the Aboriginal people of the land. Their
understanding of land as being integral to their very life has had an impact
on our thinking. We were also welcomed by the churches, the govern¬
ment and the people of Australia. We express our deep gratitude to all of
them for their hospitality, and for the assistance they extended to us in a
great variety of ways.
The theme of this assembly is the invocation “Come, Holy Spirit —
Renew the Whole Creation”. In worship, reflection and life together, we
sought to understand the hopes and challenges of our times through the
four related prayers :
Giver of Life — Sustain your Creation !
Spirit of Truth — Set us Free !
Spirit of Unity — Reconcile your People !
Holy Spirit — Transform and Sanctify Us !
We rejoice in the diversity of cultures, races and traditions rep¬
resented at the assembly, and we give thanks to God for the many
expressions of the Christian faith and for the growing sense of unity
amidst this diversity. We praise God for the many local developments in
ecumenism.
2 Signs of the Spirit
At this assembly we have been stirred by the manifold forms of
prayer, spirituality, theology and Christian commitment to which we have
been exposed; we wish to share this enrichment with our churches and
with people everywhere. The participation of women has been a reality at
the assembly, and we commend once again the Ecumenical Decade of the
Churches in Solidarity with Women. We recognize the crucial importance
of the ecumenical youth movement and look forward to the global
ecumenical gathering of youth and students in 1992. We are grateful for
the witness made by differently-abled persons and urge the churches to
provide for their full and active participation in the churches’ life and
mission.
The presence of representatives of other world religions as guests at
the assembly reminds us of the need to respect the image of God in all
people, to accept one another as neighbours and to affirm our common
responsibility with them for all of God’s creation, including humanity.
We meet at a time of growing threats to creation and human life. At
this time when our fragile environment is in crisis, we recognize anew
that human beings are not the lords of creation but part of an integrated
and interdependent whole, and we resolve once again to work for the
sustainability of all creation. Amid the oppression to which many indige¬
nous peoples, minorities and peoples of colour are subjected, we pledge
support for and solidarity with marginalized people everywhere. In the
face of the growing gap between rich and poor, we commit ourselves to
work for justice for all.
At a time of conflicts in various parts of the world, and particularly in
the Gulf, we appeal for an immediate end to hostilities, and for a just
resolution of conflicts in all countries of the world.
Many divisions still prevail in our world. Some are economic and
political. People, particularly many women, children, youth and the
differently-abled, experience brokenness of relationships and are sub¬
jected to various kinds of injustices. The Holy Spirit draws churches into
relationships of love and commitment. The Holy Spirit calls the churches
to an increased commitment to the search for visible unity and more
effective mission. We urge the churches to heed the call of the Spirit, to
seek new and reconciled relationships between peoples, and to use the
gifts of all their members.
We ourselves, the churches in council, still experience brokenness.
Reconciliation between churches remains incomplete. However, in the
ecumenical movement, we have been enabled to come out of isolation
into a committed fellowship : we experience a growing responsibility for
Come, Holy Spirit: The Assembly Message 3
each other, in joy and in pain, and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit
we seek ways to be more accountable to one another and to our Lord who
prayed that we “may be one” (John 17 :20). But we also recognize that the
fullness of reconciliation is a gift of God and that we can appropriate it
only insofar as the Holy Spirit transforms and sanctifies us.
God and humankind are reconciled by the costly sacrifice we see in
the cross of Christ. Our appropriation of reconciliation and our accep¬
tance of the ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18) are also costly.
Through our acceptance of the ministry of reconciliation, we become a
missionary people, not in that sense of dominating over peoples and
nations which has all too often characterized missionary work, but in the
sense of sharing God’s own mission of bringing all humanity into
communion with God through Christ in the power of the Spirit, sharing
our faith and our resources with all people.
We pray that the Spirit of God may lead Christians to a renewed
vision of God’s rule, so that we may be empowered to assume the
stewardship of “the mystery of the gospel” (Eph. 6:19). We pray that we
may be enabled to bear the “fruit of the Spirit” and thus witness to God’s
rule of love and truth, righteousness and justice and freedom, reconcilia¬
tion and peace.
We are convinced that to repent, to be forgiven by God and to forgive
one another are essential elements in such a renewed vision of God’s rule
on earth as in heaven. Responding to the rapid and radical changes taking
place in many parts of the world, we commit ourselves to sustained action
that will express the new perspectives which we have gained in our
ecumenical journey and during our time together, on issues such as world
debt, militarism, the ecosystem and racism.
We believe that the Holy Spirit brings hope even amidst all that seems
to militate against hope, and gives strength to resolve the conflicts which
divide human communities. Repentance must begin with ourselves, for
even in this assembly we have become aware of our own failures in
understanding, sensitivity and love. As we commit ourselves to continu¬
ing repentance, so we call all people to share in that commitment and to
pray for the renewing power of the Holy Spirit to renew in us, personally
and corporately, the image of God.
As we continue on our journey to the unity of the church and of
humankind under God’s rule, we pray, with people around the world:
Come, Holy Spirit,
Come, teacher of the humble, judge of the arrogant.
Come, hope of the poor, refreshment of the weary...
4 Signs of the Spirit
rescuer of the shipwrecked.
Come, most splendid adornment of all living beings,
the sole salvation of all who are mortal.
Come, Holy Spirit, have mercy on us,
imbue our lowliness with your power.
Meet our weakness with the fullness of your grace.
Come, Holy Spirit — Renew the Whole Creation.
1. Canberra 1991 :
A Personal Overview
and Introduction
Canberra, in the language of the Aboriginal people of Australia,
means “meeting place”. From 7 to 20 February 1991, Canberra was
indeed a global meeting place as representatives of over 300 churches,
from more than 100 countries, gathered for the World Council of
Churches’ seventh assembly. This assembly, like its predecessors, bore
witness through an astonishing array of languages and cultures to the
churches’ common confession of the Triune God and to their commitment
to “stay together” despite all that would pull them apart.
Several images come quickly to mind when I think of the setting for
the seventh assembly. I recall, for example, the blue kangaroo footprints
painted on the sidewalks of downtown Canberra to mark the two-
kilometre route between the Australian National University, where most
of the participants lived, and the National Convention Centre, where
plenary sessions were held. I think also of the canvas shoulder bags that
grew heavier by the day thanks to the work of numerous drafting
committees. Decorating the bags was the assembly logo depicting a dove
or a flame, biblical symbols of the Holy Spirit, but also leaving the
impression of movement as the winds of the Spirit fill the sails of the
ecumenical ship.
Another image is of paper fans contributed by Korean participants —
a much appreciated gift considering the heat of the Australian summer.
One journalist remarked that the un-airconditioned plenary hall, filled
with waving fans, looked like “a field of butterflies”.
And then there were the pieces of art: the “circle painting” by
Aboriginal artist Miriam Rose Ungunmerr, representing people from the
corners of the world bonded by the sacrificial love of the cross, which
hung near the platform in the worship tent ; the huge painting in colours of
the Australian landscape, by Australian painter John Cobum, which
served as backdrop in the plenary hall. .. One of my favourite images is of
6 Signs of the Spirit
two “cloth mosaics” made up of more than 1,000 patches sewn, woven or
painted by parish groups from churches belonging to the Australian
Council of Churches. Designs on the patches grew out of local Bible
study dealing with the assembly’s theme: “Come, Holy Spirit — Renew
the Whole Creation”.
Just as it helps to have mental images of the setting, so it may be
useful to have in mind certain dominant issues when reading the materials
that follow. Many issues stand out: the question of intercommunion or
eucharistic hospitality, raised powerfully by the WCC general secretary
Emilio Castro in his report to the assembly ; new developments in South
Africa and Europe; the return to the WCC fellowship of the Protestant
Church in China; ecological destruction; the financial situation of the
WCC. In my opinion, however, four issues or concerns claimed special
attention :
— the rights of indigenous peoples, especially the Aboriginal people of
Australia;
— the churches’ response to the war in the Persian Gulf;
— the relationship between gospel and culture ;
— the tension between demands for “participation”, especially of those
formerly excluded from decision-making, and existing patterns of
leadership in the churches.
The debates over these and other issues ranged from exciting to frustrat¬
ing — at times even chaotic. It remains to be seen whether they may be
regarded as signs of the unpredictable Spirit of God at work among the
churches.
1.1. THE TASK
Official delegates of the WCC’s member churches have met in
assembly once every six to eight years since the World Council was
inaugurated at Amsterdam in 1948. An assembly is the highest governing
and decision-making body of the WCC. As such, it is responsible for
assessing work done by the Council since the previous assembly, provid¬
ing policy guidelines for the coming years, and electing members of the
WCC’s presidium and central committee.
Assemblies, however, are also occasions for celebration and witness.
By the very act of coming together, the churches reaffirm the covenant
Canberra 1991 : A Personal Overview and Introduction 1
they have made with one another. Through worship together, they show
forth their common confession of the Triune God. In public statements
together, they bring this confession to bear on pressing political and social
issues of the day.
In all of these ways, assemblies are intended to help the World
Council of Churches fulfill several functions and goals. These are
summarized in the following litany of common commitment used during
the opening plenary session at Canberra:
Leader: We are constituted to call the churches to the goal of
visible unity in one faith and in one eucharistic fellow¬
ship, expressed in worship and in common life in Christ.
People: We commit ourselves to one another, and to the goal of
unity that God wills for us.
Leader: We are called to facilitate the common witness of the
churches in each place and in all places, to support the
churches in their witness, to foster the renewal of the
churches in unity, worship, mission and service.
People : We commit ourselves to support one another, and to seek
to fulfill our common calling.
Leader : We have come together into this fellowship to express the
common concern of the churches in the service of human
need, the breaking down of barriers between peoples, and
the promotion of one human family in justice and peace.
People: We commit ourselves to stand together, and to grow
together in God’s service in the world.
1.2. THE PARTICIPANTS
Another image: delegates in cassocks and T-shirts, clerical collars
and saris, Western-style suits and African agbadas boubous engaged in
animated conversation during the breaks for coffee and tea. It is almost
impossible to describe the human diversity at Canberra. The following
statistical profile, while important, only hints at the richness of such a
gathering.
Participants in the seventh assembly included:
— 852 voting delegates chosen by member churches to speak and vote
on their behalf ;
8 Signs of the Spirit
— 5 presidents of the WCC, elected by the Vancouver assembly in 1983,
and 22 members of the outgoing central committee (in addition to
those serving as delegates) ;
— 21 delegated representatives from associate member churches (gener¬
ally churches too small to meet full membership requirements) ;
— 74 delegated representatives of those councils of churches which are
associated with the WCC and of its Commission on World Mission
and Evangelism, of world ecumenical organizations that collaborate
with the WCC, and of various Christian world communions;
— 73 advisers invited by the WCC executive or central committee
because of their particular experience or expertise ;
— 23 delegated observers from the Roman Catholic Church and other
non-member churches with which the WCC has a working relation¬
ship;
— 45 specially invited guests ;
— 138 observers representing councils of churches, ecumenical or inter¬
national organizations, churches or other religious bodies;
— 172 stewards, young people serving as volunteers to assist the
assembly in its work, from 84 countries ;
— 182 members of the WCC staff;
— 151 coopted staff, including more than 80 interpreters and translators ;
— 417 accredited members of the press.
When the approximately 1,100 accredited visitors, 774 day visitors, and
numerous local volunteers are taken into account, over 4,000 persons a
day participated one way or another in the assembly at Canberra.
The “guest” category included ten persons from faiths other than
Christianity. Prof. Is-Haq Oloyede, a Muslim from Nigeria, offered
greetings to the assembly on their behalf. These persons, said WCC
president Lois Wilson in a brief response, “are more than guests. They
are companions on the way as we seek a more authentic human
existence.”
The delegates
The number of delegates available to each member church is deter¬
mined by the WCC’s central committee. Nine hundred and forty-six
delegate slots were announced before the assembly; many could not
come, due at least in part to the war in the Gulf.
The central committee had also established goals for delegates to
Canberra — 40 percent women, 20 percent youth and 50 percent
laypersons. The actual percentages, however, were 35 percent women
Canberra 1991 : A Personal Overview and Introduction 9
(compared to 31 percent at Vancouver in 1983), 46 percent lay (the same
as Vancouver), and 11 percent youth. Of the delegates to Vancouver, 13
percent were youth, but that was based on an age limit of 30. Since then,
the central committee has set 27 as the limit for the youth category. If the
old limit had been in effect, 17 percent of the delegates to Canberra would
have been considered as youth.
The Credentials Committee reported to the assembly that 84 churches
with more than one delegate did not conform to the central committee
guidelines. Youth participants were particularly outspoken in their disap¬
pointment. The “message” from the pre-assembly youth event (see
section 7.4) says that "... we are often deprived of freedom by our
churches which render us voiceless, powerless and marginalized in the
name of ‘experience’ and ‘knowledge’”. Differently-abled persons also
spoke out in plenary about the barriers to their full participation at
Canberra and called upon the WCC to recognize them in official criteria
for the selection of future assembly delegations.
In terms of regional distribution, delegates to Canberra came from
Africa (132), Asia (141), the Caribbean (13), Europe (301), Latin
America (26), the Middle East (67), North America (144), and the Pacific
(28). Confessionally, there were 98 Anglicans, 36 Baptists, 12 Disciples,
125 Lutherans, 96 Methodists, 12 Moravians, 130 Eastern Orthodox, 47
Oriental Orthodox, 170 Reformed and 84 from United churches. Smaller
numbers came from Brethren, Friends, Hussite, Mar Thoma, Mennonite,
Old Catholic, Assyrian Orthodox, Pentecostal, and various independent
churches.
Special mention should be made of those delegates and other partici¬
pants who identified themselves as “evangelicals”. “We felt welcomed in
the dialogue,” they wrote in an open letter; but, “despite such a sincere
commitment to take more seriously that major segment of the worldwide
church which those with evangelical perspectives represent, evangelicals
remain under-represented at Canberra...” The full text of their letter is
found in section 7.8 of this report.
China welcomed
Between Vancouver and Canberra, 31 denominations became full or
associate members of the WCC. Six of these, including the Dutch
Reformed Mission Church in South Africa, were officially received into
membership during the opening plenary.
The most dramatic addition, however, came at the beginning of the
assembly’s final week when the China Christian Council (CCC), the
10 Signs of the Spirit
“post-denominational” Protestant church in the People’s Republic, was
unanimously accepted as the 317th member of the WCC. In remarks to
the assembly, Bishop K.H. Ting, president of the CCC, stated that “our
membership will in no way impair the independence and integrity of any
church outside mainland China” — an apparent reference to the Presbyte¬
rian Church in Taiwan (PCT). During the acceptance ceremony, Rev.
C.M. Kao, widely-respected leader of the PCT, came forward to wel¬
come and embrace Bishop Ting. It was one of those special moments
when the churches, through the WCC, give evidence of the Spirit’s work
of reconciliation across the divisions of the world.
The cloud of witnesses
Greetings and messages of inspiration were received from numerous
church leaders and international organizations. Three that received par¬
ticular attention (and are included in this volume, 7.2) were from the
Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios I, Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All
Russia, and Pope John Paul II. The WCC has a close working relationship
with the Roman Catholic Church. The papal statement called particular
attention to the document Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry , produced by
the WCC’s Faith and Order Commission which includes a number of
Roman Catholic scholars. Such work, wrote the pope, is “surely a sign of
the Holy Spirit drawing us closer to the unity which Christ wishes for his
disciples”.
The absence of other friends was noted with sorrow, and gratitude for
their service. Since Vancouver, several former leaders of the WCC and
the entire ecumenical movement had died, including the Council’s first
two general secretaries, Willem A. Visser ’t Hooft and Eugene Carson
Blake. 1 Dr Visser ’t Hooft is widely regarded as the outstanding figure of
the modern ecumenical movement. He was largely instrumental in
shaping the structure and vision of the WCC and served as its first general
secretary from 1948 to 1966. His successor, Dr Blake, guided the Council
during the turbulent period of 1966-72. Their passing symbolizes the
major transition in ecumenical leadership evident throughout the assem¬
bly. Others remembered included Dr Charles Ranson, the last general
secretary of the International Missionary Council; former WCC pres¬
idents, Dr Martin Niemoller, Archbishop Michael Ramsey, Dr John
Coventry Smith, Dr Cynthia Wedel, Bishop Alphaeus Zulu and General
1 See “Willem A. Visser ’t Hooft, Eugene Carson Blake”, The Ecumenical Review, Vol. 38,
No. 2, 1986.
Canberra 1991 : A Personal Overview and Introduction 1 1
T.B. Simatupang; former deputy or assistant general secretaries Dr
Robert Mackie, Bishop Stephen Neill, Dr Norman Goodall and Mr Victor
E.W. Hayward; former vice-moderator Metropolitan Meliton of Chalce-
don; former staff directors Prof. Nils Ehrenstrom, Prof. Nikos Nissiotis
and Prof. Hans-Heinrich Wolf ; and Dr Kathleen Bliss, a leading ecumen¬
ist right from the start.
1.3. THE WORLD CONTEXT
It is hard to argue with the assessment of Australian prime minister
Bob Hawke, that no previous World Council assembly “has been held at a
more historic moment in the unfolding of world events than this assembly
in Canberra”. WCC general secretary Emilio Castro spoke in his address
(4.3) of “the acceleration of history”. “Four years ago, when the theme
for this assembly was chosen, we could hardly have imagined the kind of
far-reaching changes that have since then overtaken us. Ideologies have
collapsed and barriers broken down. Winds of change have swept over
Eastern Europe and South Africa. But the end of the Cold War has not
ushered in a new era of peace.”
The war in the Gulf was barely three weeks old when the assembly
was convened on 7 February. Several church leaders had recommended
that the assembly be postponed due to the crisis, and this option was
kept under consideration until the final days before the assembly
opened. Others contended, however, that this was precisely the time
when the world church needed to meet and speak a word of peace and
hope.
The war did not, as many had feared, overshadow all else on the
agenda; but it did provide a constant, sobering backdrop to the gathering.
Following the afternoon plenary on Saturday, 9 February, assembly
participants and local supporters held a silent march through downtown
streets to the worship tent on the university campus. The procession was
led by children carrying a large ball painted to look like the earth. Other
marchers carried signs saying “Spirit of Peace — Reconcile Your
People”. Most participants observed a fast from lunch on Saturday until
after the celebration of the Lima liturgy on Sunday morning, and many
took part, during the block of time allocated to their region, in an all-night
prayer vigil for peace.
12 Signs of the Spirit
The assembly’s attitude towards the war was clear from the opening
address by prime minister Hawke. The delegates sat quietly while Mr
Hawke spoke of Australia’s support for allied military operations; but
they gave sustained applause to WCC president, Metropolitan Paulos Mar
Gregorios of India, when he suggested in a response to the prime minister
that, while nobody questioned the need for Iraq to leave Kuwait, “many
people hold grave doubts about the means taken to make Iraq do that”.
The major debate on the war came in response to the report of the
Public Issues Committee and is described in section 5.1 of this volume.
There were, however, other opportunities to hear the mind of the
participants.
At a special hearing on the war, Lebanese Archbishop Aram Keshi-
shian clearly spoke for the vast majority when he stated that the war “is
neither holy nor just”. Vocal opposition to the demand for an immediate
and unconditional cease fire came chiefly from members of the Church
of England delegation. “Do we want”, asked Bishop Tom Butler, “to
feel good or do good ?” Calling for an unconditional cease fire may feel
good, but it will leave serious issues unresolved. More constructive
would be support for UN resolutions linking a cease fire to Iraqi
withdrawal. Other speakers warned that the conflict threatened to
inflame Christian-Muslim tensions in various parts of the world and to
divert precious resources from the poor. The most frequently quoted line
at Canberra came from an earlier interview with the general secretary of
the Middle East Council of Churches, Mr Gabriel Habib. Asked which
side of the war God is on, Mr Habib answered: “God is on the side of
those who are suffering.”
1.4. THE AUSTRALIAN CONTEXT
The Canberra assembly was shaped not only by the times in which it
was held but also by the place. Participants got a dramatic, colourful
glimpse of Australian history and contemporary society through a
special evening programme entitled “Gathering Under the Southern
Cross”. An estimated 10,000 people watched the presentation of music,
drama and video in a park in the centre of Canberra. The production
took fifteen months of planning and six months of rehearsals by more
than 1,000 actors and singers.
Canberra 1991 : A Personal Overview and Introduction 13
Delegates got a more first-hand exposure through parish visits
scheduled for the assembly’s final weekend. Many visited congregations
in the Canberra area, but others travelled by planes, buses and cars to
such places as Bendigo, Westemport and Wagga Wagga — all in the
southeastern comer of the world’s sixth largest nation.
Aboriginal people comprise only one to two percent of the Australian
population (approximately 17 million), but their concerns and culture
received considerable attention from the WCC. The report from pre¬
assembly visits to two Aboriginal communities described conditions as
“not just horrific but genocidal”. The WCC teams spoke of a people
demoralized by political exclusion, a demoralization evidenced by
alcohol abuse, a high rate of police detention, high drop-out rates in
schools, the loss of language and culture, and inadequate opportunities
for employment and training.
A major theme was sounded during the opening plenary. Anglican
Bishop Arthur Malcolm, himself an Aborigine, welcomed the delegates
and then urged them to “share the dreamings of my people in obtaining
respect for them and for getting some type of repayments for use of their
land”. This issue was picked up the following week in a plenary on “Land
Rights and Identity”. That presentation used slides, video and Aboriginal
speakers to emphasize that the colonial notion of Australia as terra nullius
(“land belonging to no one”) was patently wrong. Up to 700 tribes —
with developed systems of religious, political and economic life — lived
throughout the continent when the British arrived in 1788.
The plenary ended with another of those miraculous, unexpected
moments of reconciliation which, if matched by action, may be a sign of
the Spirit. The Aboriginal band, Yothu Yindi, had just finished playing
on a stage filled with representatives of indigenous peoples from around
the world when Gregor Henderson, general secretary of the Uniting
Church in Australia, came to the front. “Aboriginal sisters and brothers,”
he called out, “will you allow us non-Aboriginal Australians to join you
in the journey to bring about a new, just Australia — please ?” His request
was met with applause and many persons came forward.
I have heard several participants say that their most vivid memories
from Canberra involve demonstrations of Aboriginal culture: painted
dancers, circle paintings, the didgeridoo (a long pipe blown at the
beginning of each morning’s worship), smoke from burning gum leaves
through which worshippers passed at the opening service (a traditional
Aboriginal rite of cleansing). But I suspect that participants will also long
recall the moving apology made by a local organizer of the peace march.
14 Signs of the Spirit
There was a misunderstanding over whether the children or a group of
Aboriginal people were to lead the procession. When the Aboriginal
group was asked to give way, they moved completely to the rear — angry
and humiliated. The next morning’s apology was a powerful reminder
that two centuries of oppression and mistrust are not easily overcome,
even through carefully planned efforts at solidarity.
1.5. THE THEME
For the first time the theme of a WCC assembly focused on the third
person of the Trinity, and for the first time the theme took the form of a
prayer: “Come, Holy Spirit — Renew the Whole Creation”. The partici¬
pants at Canberra seemed to find such a theme particularly appropriate for
our times. Various materials prepared in advance of the assembly2 spoke
of renewed longing for spiritual values, especially in the West where it is
increasingly clear that material well-being alone does not constitute life in
all its fullness. There is also growing awareness, however, that the whole
of creation is threatened by the poverty, injustice, war and pollution that
mark so much of life on our planet. And there is an increasing realization
that our attempts to fix things are, by themselves, woefully inadequate.
God alone is the source of creation. God alone is the source of our unity
as Christians. It is to God, ever present through the Spirit, that we must
turn in prayer if we would be renewed.
Several of these ideas were developed by Patriarch Parthenios of
Alexandria in a paper (see 2.2) presented to the Canberra participants by
an Orthodox colleague during the assembly’s second day (Patriarch
Parthenios was unable to attend the assembly because of the war in the
Gulf). “There is no church, no creature, no human person”, wrote the
patriarch, “apart from the Spirit.” One sign of the Spirit’s activity is the
2 Among the preparatory materials were several publications, including a book of six Bible
studies on the theme and sub-themes; Energy for Life by Krister Stendhal, also on the
theme; Let the Spirit Speak to the Churches, which was meant as a guide for the study of
the theme and the issues; a book on the Australian religious experience entitled Land of the
Spirit?-, a selection of articles from the July 1989, April 1990 and July-October 1990 issues
of The Ecumenical Review which were all devoted to theological reflections on the
Canberra theme, under the title To the Wind of God’s Spirit', and six “audiovisual prayers”
on the theme in which music and images join with words.
Canberra 1991 : A Personal Overview and Introduction 15
search for unity that draws the churches together in the WCC. “May we
realize the pain of our separation. It wounds Christ. We hinder the Holy
Spirit’s action and prevent his working with us. In the struggle for union
there is room for neither neutrality nor standing aside.” Finally, however,
“our goal is the unity of the world. Such unity”, he concluded, “is not
alien to the work of the Holy Spirit and the church. The Spirit blows
where he wills, and we have no right to restrict his movement and his
breathing, to bind him with fences and barbed wire.”
The theme, however, also raises a number of questions on which
Christians have long disagreed, including “How do we discern the true
activity of the Holy Spirit in the midst of ‘the spirits’ of the world?” This
question became a focus of debate at Canberra thanks to an electrifying
presentation on the theme by Prof. Chung Hyun Kyung of the Presbyte¬
rian Church in South Korea (see 2.3). Her entrance into the Convention
Centre’s Royal Theatre, following the reading of the Patriarch’s address,
was accompanied by sixteen Korean and two Aboriginal dancers, com¬
plete with gongs, bells, drums, clap sticks and candles. The address itself
began with an invocation of the spirits of an eclectic collection of martyrs,
from Hagar to the students in Tiananmen Square, from “the spirit of
Earth, Air, and Water” to “our brother Jesus, tortured and killed on the
cross”. After setting fire to this list and letting the ashes drift to the
ceiling, Prof. Chung spoke of Korea as a land of “spirits full of Han”.
Han refers to the “grudge”, the anguished cry, of those who have died
with their misery unappeased. “These Han-ridden spirits in our people’s
history have been agents through whom the Holy Spirit has spoken of her
compassion and wisdom for life. Without hearing the cries of these
spirits,” she continued, “we cannot hear the voice of the Holy Spirit. I
hope the presence of all our ancestors’ spirits here with us shall not make
you uncomfortable. For us they are the icons of the Holy Spirit...”
Reactions to the address were, to say the least, mixed. “There was
passionate applause”, said one delegate, “but there was also passionate
silence.” A word frequently heard during the next few days was “syncret¬
ism”. “You can’t just take something that isn’t Christian”, said Dr
Constance Tarasar of the Orthodox Church in America, “and name it
Christian.” Statements by Orthodox and evangelical participants in par¬
ticular stressed the need for serious ecumenical study in order to develop
criteria for determining the limits of theological diversity in this radically
pluralistic age. “We must guard”, said the Orthodox statement (see 7.7),
“against a tendency to substitute a “private” spirit, the spirit of the world
or other spirits for the Holy Spirit who proceeds from the Father and rests
16 Signs of the Spirit
in the Son. Our tradition is rich in respect for local and national cultures,
but we find it impossible to invoke the spirits of “earth, air, water and sea
creatures”.
Prof. Chung responded to the swirl of controversy by challenging her
critics to a public debate. A debate as such never took place, but a special
plenary session was called to deal with the topic of the gospel and
inculturation. Nearly twenty speakers took their three minutes at the
microphone. Some contended that the Holy Spirit always points to Jesus
Christ and that the church’s role is to Christianize the cultures in which it
is placed. Others called for an acceptance of “new theologies” which
sought to make the gospel relevant to various cultures. The final word
was Prof. Chung’s. Beneath all the talk of syncretism, she said, is the
question of power. Western, male theologians have set the limits of the
Spirit’s work. “We have been listening to your intellectualism for 2,000
years... please listen to us.” “Third- world theologies are”, she main¬
tained, “the new paradigm, the new wine that can’t be put in your
wineskins. . . . yes, we are dangerous, but it is through such danger that the
Holy Spirit can renew the church.”
This debate will surely be with the WCC for years to come as it
struggles, in the words of a mandate from the Vancouver assembly, to
develop a “vital and coherent theology” capable of creatively integrating
more “classical” and more “contextual” approaches.
1.6. THE PROGRAMME
The assembly did its work in three primary ways :
1 . The whole body gathered regularly in plenary sessions in order to
hear presentations on the theme and various issues facing the churches
and in order to deal with reports and other items of business.
2. All official participants were assigned to one of four sections , each
section focused on one of the sub-themes of the assembly :
— Section I : Giver of Life — Sustain your Creation !
— Section II : Spirit of Truth — Set us Free !
— Section III : Spirit of Unity — Reconcile your People !
— Section IV : Holy Spirit — Transform and Sanctify Us !
At previous assemblies, “sections” or “issue groups” gave attention to
current concerns on the ecumenical agenda. Their deliberations were set
Canberra 1991 : A Personal Overview and Introduction 17
within the general framework of the assembly’s theme, but did not
necessarily bear a direct relationship to it. At Canberra, however, special
effort was made to integrate pressing issues of the day with reflections on
the theme and sub-themes through the work of the sections. What, for
example, does a focus on the reconciling activity of the Holy Spirit say to
us about the unity we seek ? What does our confession of the Spirit as “the
giver of life” say to us in the face of threats to creation in this era?
Each section was further divided into sub-sections of approximately
thirty persons. It was in these groups that the most intensive discussions,
as well as Bible study, took place. Statements drafted by the sub-sections
formed the basis of section reports that were received by the assembly
during its final week (see 3. 2-3. 5).
3. The assembly elected some 200 delegates to serve on nine commit¬
tees :
— Business Committee: functioned as the steering committee for the
work of the assembly as a whole ;
— Nominations Committee : proposed persons for election as presidents
and as members of the central committee ;
— Credentials Committee : recommended action on questions related to
the accreditation of delegates ;
— Programme Policy Committee: recommended policy guidelines for
shaping the programme of the WCC in the coming years (see 4.5);
— Public Issues Committee : produced draft statements on major issues
of international concern (see 5. 2-5. 9);
— Message Committee: prepared the text of the assembly’s official
message ;
— Report Committee: prepared a report on the work of the assembly, in
particular synthesizing the work of the sections (see 6.2);
— Reference Committee: recommended action on the reports of the
moderator and general secretary, on relationships with member chur¬
ches and various ecumenical partners, and on other matters referred to
it for consideration (see 4.4);
— Finance Committee : considered the WCC’s general financial situation
and recommended actions for dealing with it (see 4.6).
Week I (Thursday 7 February -Sunday 10 February )
It is, of course, impossible to divide the work of such a complex
gathering into neat compartments. Still, it may help to sense the “flow” of
the assembly by noting that its programme (see 7.1) falls roughly into
three parts.
18 Signs of the Spirit
In addition to worship, the first four days were marked by opening
ceremonies, presentations dealing with the theme and sub-themes (see
3.1), including the report of the general secretary (see 4.3), and special
activities related to the war (most notably, the peace march and vigil
described above).
Two dramatic presentations were also part of the assembly’s first
weekend. “The Spirit Speaks to the Churches” included sketches of
Christians attempting to discern the guidance of the Holy Spirit in their
lives. Should Christians stay and witness in the Middle East despite
enormous risk ? How should the church in Australia respond to AIDS ?
What is the role of the church today in the former German Democratic
Republic ?
The second presentation, this one in the worship tent, focused on
themes raised by the WCC’s programme “Justice, Peace and the Integrity
of Creation” (JPIC) and was led — through drama, dance and song — by
children from Canberra. The images were gripping: children playing
while wearing masks to filter out pollution in Czechoslovakia, children
“playing” at real combat in the Middle East.
Week II ( Monday 11 February -Sunday 17 February )
During the second week, the assembly settled into a rhythm of
section and sub-section work in the mornings and programme-oriented
plenaries in the afternoons. Plenaries included “Covenanting for Life”
on the challenge to the churches posed by JPIC, “Without a Vision
People Will Perish” on progress towards visible church unity, “Land
Rights and Identity” on the struggle of the Aboriginal people in
Australia, “Churches in Solidarity with Women” on issues related to the
Ecumenical Decade of the Churches in Solidarity with Women initiated
by the WCC in 1988, and “Sharing Our Life — Towards New
Community”.
The plenary on sharing is a good example of the attempt, made in
each of these presentations, to put a human face on WCC themes and
programmes. Between Vancouver and Canberra, three world meetings
sponsored by the WCC explored different facets of the ecumenical
concern for mission and service.3 This plenary attempted to highlight and
integrate the work of these conferences by way of representative stories.
3“Diakonia 2000: Called to Be Neighbours” (Lamaca 1986), “Sharing Life in a World
Community” (El Escorial 1987), and “Your Will Be Done — Mission in Christ’s Way”
(San Antonio 1989).
Canberra 1991 : A Personal Overview and Introduction 19
One video story told of rubbish collectors in Brazil who organized
themselves into a basic Christian community. In another segment, South
African Christians described a 1988 church-initiated boycott of white-
manipulated elections. One participant warned that “apartheid, sick as it
is, is still alive”. A third story, this one again on video, told of a small
congregation in the USA whose members offered sanctuary to Central
Americans fleeing persecution, even at the cost of their own imprison¬
ment. A fourth described efforts at “mutual accountability” between a
donor agency, Norwegian Church Aid, and its ecumenical partners in
Asia, Africa and Latin America.
Signs of reconciliation continued to appear. Delegates from the US
and Middle Eastern churches forged an “ecumenical coalition of compas¬
sion” to supply aid to the young and the elderly in Iraq and Israeli
occupied territories. Representatives of the delegations from North and
South Korea stood hand in hand before the assembly as a demonstration
of their solidarity and common longing for reunification.
Week 111 ( Monday 18 February -Wednesday 20 February )
The final week was devoted almost entirely to plenary business
sessions where delegates could hear and act on reports from the four
sections and the various committees. As it turned out, however, two items
dominated these final days (making it impossible to give sufficient
attention to much of the other work) : the proposed statement on the Gulf
war (see 5.1 and 5.2) and the difficult process of nominating and electing
persons to serve as presidents of the WCC and as members of its central
committee.
Since there are only 150 places on the central committee, some
churches, countries, or ethnic groups are bound to lack direct representa¬
tion — and to feel disappointed. The disappointment grew, however,
when the Nominations Committee’s slate failed to meet stated minimum
goals for the percentage of women (40 percent) and youth (20 percent).
The Committee noted publicly that some delegations were simply unwill¬
ing to accept youth or women as their representatives. Indeed, it was
angrily reported that some persons included on early Nominations Com¬
mittee lists had been under heavy pressure to step aside.
At the plenary on 18 February, proposals were made to replace ten
names on the Committee’s slate. All ten were rejected. There was
considerable support for including C.M. Kao of Taiwan and K.H. Ting of
China on the central committee but, after much discussion and confusion,
these proposals were also defeated. The delegates did vote to ask the new
20 Signs of the Spirit
central committee to find an appropriate way for representatives of the
China Christian Council and the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan to
participate in its meetings.
After the slate was finally accepted, youth delegates and stewards
brought forth a banner proclaiming that the marginalization of youth is
“ecumenical suicide”. Ten percent of the previous central committee were
youth. Only 8 percent of the newly-elected committee are under 27.
On the assembly’s final day, delegates looked briefly at a “discussion
paper” prepared by youth participants. A proposal to include youth
advisers in central committee meetings was adopted and other proposals,
dealing with youth participation in future assemblies, were referred to the
new central committee.
The election of the new presidium proved equally painful. An early
Nominations Committee document spoke of WCC presidents as “emi¬
nent persons of seniority and considerable experience”. The “seniority”
criterion was challenged, however, and the assembly decided that one of
the presidents should be under 30. There were already guidelines
specifying that two of the seven presidents should be Orthodox and that
at least three should be women, in addition to expectations of regional
and confessional balance — and the task proved impossible. When the
slate of nominees was returned two days before the close of the
assembly, it listed six persons, only two of whom were women and
none of whom was from Latin America, the Caribbean, or sub-Saharan
Africa.
The election was deferred amid numerous points of order. The
beleaguered Committee was instructed to bring back a list of ^even
names, including three women and one African. But the African
delegates had already decided on a nominee, and he was a male. In the
end, the only way to escape the impasse was by asking the new central
committee to approve an expansion of the presidium to eight.
1.7. THE WORSHIP
Vancouver has often been called “the praying assembly” because of
the outstanding quality of its liturgical life. Canberra attempted to learn
from and build upon its predecessor. Like Vancouver, the worship
Canberra 1991 : A Personal Overview and Introduction 21
materials drew on an incredible variety of cultures and confessions and
were meticulously prepared in four languages. Also like Vancouver,
worship at Canberra took place in an enormous tent, capable of seating
3,500 worshippers. This “canvas cathedral” was filled with symbols of
the Spirit, including a large, flame-shaped candle with seven wicks —
one for each WCC assembly.
Music played a crucial role in worship at this assembly, as it had in
Vancouver. An exceptional group of worship animators from Sweden,
Taiwan, Brazil, South Africa, Ghana, Indonesia and Yugoslavia/USA,
along with an 80- voice choir from the Canberra area (the majority of them
Roman Catholics), enabled the congregation to sing with real “spirit”,
even when the tunes and tongues were unfamiliar.
Three major services punctuated the assembly. Sir Paul Reeves,
former Anglican archbishop and now representative of the Anglican
communion to the United Nations, was the preacher at the opening
worship. “Who are we gathered at this assembly?” he asked. “We are
people of hope who are part of God’s creation which still contains
promise even though it lacks peace.” Speaking as a Maori, the indigenous
people of New Zealand, Bishop Reeves maintained that Christians cannot
separate God’s promise of redemption from our human responsibility to
cherish the earth.
Preaching at the closing worship was Dr Birgitta Larsson (director of
the Church of Sweden Mission). The pain we have experienced at this
assembly, she suggested, is the pain of birth as the Holy Spirit has
brought forth new things from our sharing life with one another. The
question now is: What do we do with what has been bom? How do we
translate the challenges of Canberra into our local situations? This
service, like the opening one, ended on a note of joyous celebration as the
overflow congregation sang the South African hymn “We Are Marching
in the Light of God”, complete with clapping and dancing.
In between was a eucharist service using the “Lima liturgy” prepared
by members of the WCC’s Faith and Order Commission on the basis of
the widely-studied document Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry. There
were also special eucharistic celebrations led by Oriental Orthodox and
Eastern Orthodox participants.
Each day of the assembly included morning prayers (attended by
most participants), a mid-day preaching service, and evening prayers.
One of the morning services was conducted entirely by children from
the assembly children’s camp. Scripture truly came alive as children
played the roles of foot, ear, eye and head, bound together in the body
22 Signs of the Spirit
of Christ. A “message” from the children’s camp included this request:
“When you tell the story of this assembly, tell the children in your
churches that we were a part of it.” Indeed, they were an important and
valued part.
1.8. SURROUNDING EVENTS AND PROGRAMMES
More than 300 women, and a similar number of youth, gathered in
Canberra for two conferences in the days leading up to the start of the
assembly. The events were designed to explore assembly-related issues of
particular importance to these groups, to acquaint participants with how
an assembly functions, and to foster a sense of solidarity and community.
The message from the pre-assembly women’s meeting (see 7.3) called
attention to the fact that women, youth and children are often the primary
victims of war and economic disparity. The youth message (7.4) ex¬
pressed alarm “at the extent of environmental degradation of the world
which we are inheriting”.
On the grounds of the university were tents devoted to the concerns of
three particular groups: the churches in the Pacific, the Aboriginal people
of Australia, and women. The tents provided space for informal sharing
as well as for educational programmes and events. Each of these three
groups also sponsored a special evening programme during the course of
the assembly.
The visitors’ programme seemed to receive high marks from those
who took part. The 1,100 accredited visitors, along with hundreds of
daily visitors, participated in the worship life of the assembly and in
its plenary sessions. A special programme of Bible studies and
discussion of topics related to the assembly’s sub-themes was
arranged for those times when other assembly participants were
meeting in sections.
Mention should also be made of the small bands of placard-carrying
protesters whose presence added to the striking diversity so characteristic
of any WCC assembly. Groups of anti-Catholic Protestants and True
Orthodox Christians kept watch outside the worship tent whenever the
assembly gathered for major liturgical celebrations.
Canberra 1991 : A Personal Overview and Introduction 23
1.9. BEHIND THE SCENES
No picture of such an event would be complete without at least a
glimpse behind the scenes at some of the activities that made it work.
Assembly preparations in Australia were carried out by two groups, a
Canberra committee (with twenty-five task forces of local volunteers) and
a national committee formed under the auspices of the Australian Council
of Churches. Nearly 700 congregations joined what was called “the
assembly line”, supporting the assembly through Bible study, prayer, and
financial gifts.
A special feature of this type of international conference is, of course,
the need for translation of written materials and simultaneous interpreta¬
tion of presentations and discussions. More than 80 interpreters and
translators took part in the Canberra assembly. During plenary sessions,
participants could dial their headphones to English, French, German,
Spanish, Russian, Greek or Indonesian. At times it could all get quite
complicated. If, for example, a delegate spoke in Russian, the Indonesian
interpreters would listen to the English interpretation before giving theirs
in Indonesian. It was also true, however, that this assembly witnessed, to
an unusual degree, what one interpreter called “the imperialism of the
English language”.
Stewards were another indispensable part of the assembly — carrying
messages, handing out materials, duplicating reports, and generally
performing the tasks that make an assembly possible. The stewards’
programme, organized by the WCC Sub-unit on Youth, also had an
educational purpose. Stewards had an opportunity to grasp the ecumeni¬
cal vision of the global church as well as to contribute through their
presence and insights to a significant moment in the life of the ecumenical
movement.
Finally, mention should be made of the assembly’s excellent daily
newspaper, Assembly Line , through which participants (especially those
able to read English) gained an overview of this multi-faceted gathering.
1.10. THE CHALLENGE OF CANBERRA
It seems far too early to “evaluate” so complex an event as the seventh
assembly. The assembly’s ultimate value may well be determined by the
24 Signs of the Spirit
sustained programmes, bonds, or efforts at renewal that develop as a
result of these fourteen days. It may not be too early, however, to identify
some of the challenges that Canberra poses for the WCC, the churches
and the ecumenical movement.
One challenge mentioned earlier arises from the tension between
demands for broad “participation” in the work of the WCC and present
patterns of leadership and accountability in the churches. There is much
to celebrate in the diversity of delegates who gathered in the Australian
capital. The Council is surely enriched by the voices of women, youth,
laity and others who historically have been marginal to the churches’
decision-making processes. The problem is that many of the churches
have not themselves implemented inclusive models of leadership —
which means that their assembly delegations, if they meet WCC guide¬
lines for inclusivity, often include persons who are unable to speak with
authority for or to their churches.
It is really impossible to participate in a World Council assembly
without being deeply influenced by what John Bluck, in a final plenary on
communicating Canberra, called “the never- to-be-repeated chemistry of
people and place”. It is not at all clear, however, that the results of
Canberra will go beyond the delegates to affect the lives of the member
churches.
The dilemmas are compounded when the delegates are also unfamiliar
with the issues and procedures of international ecumenism. At Canberra,
some 80 percent of the delegates had not been to a previous WCC
assembly and nearly 60 percent had never attended a WCC event of any
sort. Is it realistic to expect such a body, no matter how intelligent or
committed the participants may individually be, to assess the Council’s
work and chart its future course?
The plenaries at Canberra, as at Vancouver, provided noteworthy
opportunities for the churches to tell of how the Spirit of God is working
through and among them. Many participants may have rejoiced that there
were few major addresses on issues of the day or theological expositions
of the scope and role of WCC programmes themselves. But the lack of
substantial theological input — coupled with the shortage of experienced
leadership, the dearth of ecumenical memory, and the tyranny of time —
meant that the documents “commended to the churches for study and
appropriate action” are of less than the highest quality. And the credibility
of the Council suffers accordingly.
All of this points to challenges that must be faced. The churches are
challenged to become more inclusive in their own leadership and to
Canberra 1991 : A Personal Overview and Introduction 25
prepare their delegates as thoroughly as possible for the work to be done.
The WCC is challenged to rethink what it means for an assembly to act as
the Council’s supreme legislative and governing body. Expectations of
what an assembly may reasonably accomplish may need to be revised.
Revision may also be needed for the process of nominations, a process
that had the effect at Canberra of pitting categories against competence,
and women and youth against regional representation — and, thus, of
deepening our divisions.
Worship is usually mentioned as a highlight of Canberra — and
deservedly so. Through prayer and song, participants experienced not
only the rich diversity of the church of Christ but also something of that
vision of the reign of God that holds us together. The challenge here
however is to integrate prayer and public statement, liturgy and
decision-making. At the seventh assembly, the two frequently seemed
divorced by more than location. Many participants spoke of Canberra as
two assemblies — one a “festival of faith” that was generally quite fine,
the other an exercise in conciliar governance that was at times quite
disturbing.
We move now to a different area of challenge. One strength of
Canberra, of WCC assemblies in general, is well captured in the follow¬
ing sentence from The New York Times : “... the World Council of
Churches remains the only place where a patriarch from one of the first
great centres of Christianity and a feminist liberation theologian from a
church less than a century old could not only be joint keynote speakers but
also embrace the hope that, however long it takes, their successors will
some day be united...”
The challenge of Canberra is for the World Council to provide a
framework wherein such amazing diversity can move beyond encounter
to genuine understanding and (dare we hope?) mutual growth in Christ.
One of the major mandates from Vancouver was for the WCC to develop
a “vital and coherent theology” capable of creatively integrating the
contextual and the classical, the theoretical and the practical, the concern
for continuity and the concern for relevance. But as Dr Heinz Joachim
Held noted in his report as moderator of the central committee (see 4.2),
“... despite all the efforts so far made, the task we were set still remains
ahead of us”. This challenge was renewed at Canberra especially by
Orthodox and evangelical participants. “At present,” said the evangelical
statement (see 7.8), “there is insufficient clarity regarding the relationship
between the confession of the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Saviour
according to the scripture, the person and work of the Holy Spirit, and
26 Signs of the Spirit
legitimate concerns which are part of the WCC agenda. . . The challenge is
to develop a theology forged in the midst of obedient action for the sake
of the gospel, so as to bring together the apostolic faith and the suffering
of the oppressed...”
Finally, and perhaps most fundamentally, Canberra represents a
challenge for the ecumenical movement to recover a common vision
capable of holding together a wide array of disparate priorities. There was
a tendency at Canberra to think in terms of particular agendas rather than
common goals and affirmations — to concentrate, as one delegate put it,
on what divides us rather than on what unites us — which meant that, at
times, the assembly resembled a political convention with various consti¬
tuency groups competing for the attention and favour of the majority.
There was little apparent trust that one who is not from “our group” can
represent “our interests” — which accounts, at least in part, for the
Nominations Committee’s headaches.
“And yet it moves.” The very fact that the assembly was held at such a
moment in world history may well be the strongest indication of the
Spirit’s presence and prodding. For all of their diversity, the churches
obviously share a sense of belonging to a fellowship that is important for
their faithfulness, mission, and self-understanding. And through their
gathering in Canberra they were able to show signs of God’s reconciling
work among them. While bombs and rockets rained in the Middle East,
participants in the seventh assembly envisioned and prayed for a truly
new world order, one shaped by the realities of the Triune God.
“Come, Holy Spirit — Renew the Whole Creation.”
Michael Kinnamon
2. The Theme: “ Come ,
Holy Spirit — Renew
the Whole Creation ”
2.1. INTRODUCTION
The theme was the focus of plenary sessions on the assembly’s second
day, 8 February. Before the speakers were introduced, participants sang
“Come down, O love divine/seek thou this soul of mine, /and visit it with
thine own ardour glowing ;/0 Comforter, draw near, /within my heart
appear, /and kindle it, thy holy flame bestowing.”
The first presentation had been prepared by His Beatitude Parthenios
III, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa. Unfortu¬
nately, the patriarch was unable to attend the assembly because of
pastoral duties related to the war in the Persian Gulf. His address was read
by an Orthodox colleague, Grand Protopresbyter Georges Tsetsis. This
address was followed directly by that of Dr Chung Hyun Kyung,
professor at Ewha Women’s University in Seoul, South Korea.
There was no immediate opportunity for discussion of the presenta¬
tions in plenary. Such discussion took place in the sub-sections and in the
specially-called plenary session on “the gospel and inculturation”
described in section 1.5.
28 Signs of the Spirit
2.2. THE HOLY SPIRIT
Parthenios,
Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa
The World Council of Churches acts in the name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Our Council is making ecclesiastical
history. Each of its assemblies, meetings of Christians “with one accord
in one place”, marks its progress under the Triune God “in this world” for
the church of God, which is also his people.
The themes of the assemblies of the World Council of Churches have
until now been related to the Son of God, the Christ, the second person of
the Holy Trinity. In our assembly here in the continent of Australia we
have decided that our theme is to be the Holy Spirit, the third person of
the Holy Trinity.
The central committee decided on this theme with blessed assur¬
ance and holy audacity. I say this because we are continuing our
journey towards church unity, the unity of all, and we want to move
into the mystery of God. The way is not easy. The Holy Trinity is a
mystery, the Holy Spirit is a mystery, and the church itself is a
mystery.
The Holy Spirit is a favourite theme for the church and its history.
Many believe that traditionally and historically it is Orthodoxy that lives
and moves and has its being in the Holy Spirit and is “pneumatologi-
cal”. I believe, however, that all the churches live and move in the Holy
Spirit. There is no church, no creature, no human person apart from the
Spirit. Wittingly or unwittingly, we follow the way of the Holy Trinity,
we live in it, and it is our faith and our hope. In the New Testament we
often come across the expression: “in the Holy Spirit”. This preposition
“in” is of great significance. Herein lies the mystery. When we speak
about the Holy Spirit, we are speaking about the Holy Trinity. There is
no Holy Spirit apart from the Holy Trinity. We live in the Father, in the
Son and in the Holy Spirit. We do not separate them. Our God is one.
In our creed they are ever one, undivided, indivisible, unchanging, of
one substance.
We strive to pray, to listen to, to feel the holy mystery, the
mystery of God. Our desire is to worship the Father, the Son and the
Holy Spirit, to proclaim to our churches, with the one, holy, catholic
and apostolic church, the sublime, ineffable, arcane, unutterable,
The Theme: “Come, Holy Spirit — Renew the Whole Creation ” 29
incomprehensible mystery of God, of whom St John the apostle says in
his first epistle :
Something which has existed since the beginning, that we have heard, and
we have seen with own eyes; that we have watched and touched with our
hands: the Word who is life — this is our subject (1 John 1 : 1) .
Please understand that it is with diffidence that I speak to you at this
moment. It is not possible for us, human beings that we are, to understand
the Holy Trinity, to comprehend God, Father, Son and Spirit, one God.
As the patriarch of Alexandria, St Athanasius the Great, said: “A God
who is understood is no God.” Our starting point is “ignorance”, the
impossibility of knowledge. The church fathers said of the mystery of
God: “Go no further, say no more.”
The mystery is the theology of the Trinity, Christology, Pneumatol-
ogy and Ecclesiology. You cannot catch hold of it with human words,
you cannot demonstrate it with human arguments of any kind, the
intellect or the wisdom “of this world”. Speaking of this search for
knowledge the apostle Paul says that only “foolishness” can understand
the mystery. It is something beyond knowledge. “It was to shame the
wise that God chose what is foolish by human reckoning” (1 Cor.
1 :27) ; Christ chose “little children” and bids us become as children so
that we may possess him and be made sharers in his kingdom (Matt.
18:3).
The Holy Spirit is the Paraclete, who proceeds from the Father and is
sent by the Son. Christ sent the Spirit to his disciples, as he said himself,
to show them his love, to assure them that on the way they would not be
alone.
The church, his people, all we who truly believe, also lives in the
Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwells in us, encompasses us, embraces all things.
We call upon the Holy Spirit to renew creation, the world and the earth.
With him we would strive for the salvation and redemption of all.
Because we are his disciples, it is fitting that we should be his friends,
since we are his church, his people.
We are in fact “in a realistic way” spiritual, because we belong to the
Holy Spirit. Just as we are Christians because we belong to Christ’s
church. Therefore the church is the great event and not something static.
It moves, surpasses all things and is the life of the world and of humanity.
On its journey the church takes on its eschatological identity. It lives out
its history in the mystery of the Holy Spirit and is moving towards the last
things.
30 Signs of the Spirit
The church’s great feast is Pentecost. It is its birthday, on which it
begins its journey, the “extension of the Passover” to the kingdom of
heaven, inspired by the Holy Spirit. The church has no existence without
Pentecost, without the Holy Spirit. We live by the Holy Spirit, we, the
people of God who gives us the life of Christ so that we may go to his
Father.
There is no other way; this is the only, the eternal way, which Christ
gave us in his church: the way of the Paraclete. Our life becomes so to
speak “paracletic”, and it is felt by all who strive for love, freedom and
justice, the Holy Spirit’s gifts to the church, which bestow joy and
beauty. Christ’s life was also “paracletic”, with the Holy Spirit present
and active in his incarnation, sacrifice and crucifixion, his resurrection, in
his church, in his eucharist, in his seven sacraments, in our life which is
his life.
In the holy eucharist, which we celebrate daily and which is fellow¬
ship (koinonia) in the Holy Spirit and Christ’s offering but also our own
communion, offering and thanksgiving, our everlasting food and prayer
through the Holy Spirit, we experience our God in his church and his
Pentecost.
Therefore in our eucharist, our liturgy, we, his people, in our
invocation (epiclesis), in our own prayer, beseech the Holy Spirit to come
and change the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ, so that
the Son of God, Christ, may dwell in us and that we, human beings, may
become the tabernacle of God’s dwelling. We become a new creation, are
renewed in God’s image, united with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the
Holy Trinity. We are, more, an ecclesial communion, men and women
united among ourselves, of one flesh, of one blood, of one essence,
people together, united in the one body of Christ.
This is the mystery of the Holy Spirit, given to us, to humanity, to
the whole creation. The holy eucharist, the other sacraments of the
church effected by the Holy Spirit, even its symbols, are themselves a
manifestation, showing forth, revelation and operation of the Holy
Spirit for the blessing of humanity and nature. A wind, a breath that
“bloweth where it listeth”, a dove, a roaring sound, fire, a tongue of
fire, these are the Holy Spirit. The chrism, the water, baptism, the
bishop’s hand, holy order, the marriage crowns, that great mystery of
Christ and the church, the oil of holy unction, confession, repentance,
the forgiveness of sins: all are in the church by the operation of the
Holy Spirit. And all have their beginning in the church on its birthday
of Pentecost.
The Theme: “Come, Holy Spirit — Renew the Whole Creation ” 31
Every sacrament is a sacrament of Pentecost, a descent, a coming
down and inspiration, an indwelling of the Holy Spirit. All things are
sanctified by the Holy Spirit, from the beginning of creation, when he
hovered over the abyss, and now in nature, in heaven and on earth, in
humanity, in all beings, in every living soul.
From Pentecost the new creation, the new life, has its beginning, and
all things are made new, here and now and always. What we are
experiencing is the words of St John’s Apocalypse: “The one who
guarantees these revelations repeats his promise: I shall indeed be with
you soon. Amen; come, Lord”, the Alpha and the Omega, the first and
the last.
In our Orthodox church on Pentecost Sunday and Whitmonday the
hymns and chants are a doxology to the third person of the Holy Trinity.
We say of this day that all is wondrous. The words, readings and lessons
are strange. They are all words of the Holy Spirit, who is without
beginning, of the Spirit of life, the life-giver, enlightener and source of
goodness. On this day there is one single worship of the Holy Trinity,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the Spirit who is God and makes us gods,
who is the fire that purifies us, who speaks within us and enriches us with
his gifts.
On the day of Pentecost all we see and hear is wondrous. By the
Holy Spirit we are taught to theologize, to make our faith come alive.
We are alive in this Spirit of fear and wisdom, who is prince and
sovereign, who grants rest to our fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers,
to all souls.
All is the gift of the Holy Spirit. He lays down the law of the church.
He is of one substance, seated on one throne with the Father and the Son.
He is Paraclete. The consubstantial Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
is one power, one substance, one Godhead. We read of him and find him
in the Old and New Testaments, and we see him “as in a glass darkly”.
This is the faith which our Council’s message issued at Pentecost 1990
intended to underline. It was a statement inspired by the message which
the apostle John gives in his first epistle, regarding the mystery that had
been concealed : “that life was made visible : we saw it and we are giving
our testimony, telling you of the eternal life which was with the Father
and has been made visible to us. What we have seen and heard we are
telling you, so that you too may be in union with us, as we are in union
with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1 :2-3).
This is the intercessory, supplicatory and eucharistic experience of the
one, holy, catholic and apostolic church. It is also the way of the sister
32 Signs of the Spirit
churches, of our World Council, for the entire world, the universe and
creation, always and everywhere.
This subject is endless, it is inexhaustible and everlasting.
The only thing I can and would say, in all humility, is that we
need this life of the Holy Spirit in the church and in the world, so
that we may live it in the strengthening of the same Paraclete. This
so that we may capture something of his nature and wisdom, his
glory and saving truth, so that we may bear our witness and perform
our ministry to every human being and to all creation, seen and
unseen, with the internal personal relationships of the Holy Trinity as
our model. So we believe “in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of
life, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son
is worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets”,
and so our prayer, the new prayer of us all, is “Come, Holy Spirit,
renew the whole creation”.
Hagios ho theos Holy God, who has created all things through the Son
by the working together of the Holy Spirit. Hagios ischuros Holy strong
one, Christ, through whom we have come to know the Father. Hagios
athanatos, Holy immortal [is] the all-holy Spirit, who proceeds from the
Father and rests in the Son.
On Whitmonday, the feast of the Holy Spirit, we celebrate, according
to our calendar, this all-holy, life-giving and all-powerful Spirit, the one
God in Trinity, one in honour, one in substance, one in glory with the
Father and the Son.
The Father is light, the Word light, the Holy Spirit light.
Our daily prayer, which we learn as little children and say, often
without understanding the language of the age in which it was composed,
is the prayer to the Holy Spirit:
“Heavenly King, Paraclete, Spirit of truth, who art present every¬
where and fillest all things, Treasury of goodness and Giver of life, come,
dwell in us and cleanse us from all stain, and, of thy mercy, save our
souls. Amen.”
All of this is familiar to all, having been said a thousand times over. It
is a feature of our daily intercourse. It is the creed of our churches, our
life, the long-expected, final and everlasting hope of our people, yester¬
day, today and tomorrow, our future and last end, our salvation and
redemption, for the salvation of the world, the liberation of humanity
from error, wickedness and sin, for our unity, rebirth, renewal, regenera¬
tion and resurrection, for peace, for beauty in the world and universe, for
the victory that has triumphed, does triumph and will triumph over this
The Theme: “Come, Holy Spirit — Renew the Whole Creation ” 33
world, for the kingdom of heaven, for the second coming in the last times
and days.
I must mention one thing more. It is a reality we Christians very often
forget. It is there however, alive and present everywhere. It is another
mystery. I am thinking if the mystery of evil, of the devil, Satan, the
“spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12). I shall
add nothing to that. In the wilderness Jesus was tempted by the spirit of
evil, the tempter. That same spirit tempts us also. It tempts the church,
the people of God. Only the Holy Spirit can save us. Holy Spirit, “deliver
us from evil !”
And now, let us speak of our own life, we who are gathered here as
representatives of our churches, of this here and now, this present time.
Let us confess, let us bear each other’s hardships with Christ, whose yoke
is easy and whose burden is light, united as brothers and sisters, we
children of God who seek the union of the churches and the unity of
humanity.
Without fear or passion may we take the way of truth, may we confess
our errors and our sins; may we forgive one another. May we not
continually rehearse the same old cliches, reckoning that we are the
carriers and bearers, each one separately and all together, of our own
history and tradition which is “of this world”, with all our habits and
practices, which have solid worth and excellence but are also overlaid
with errors and, above all, with sins. Would that we might forget the ugly
and evil things. May we not repeat them nor mention them again. Let us
blot them out.
May we realize the pain of our separation. It wounds Christ. We
hinder the Holy Spirit’s action and prevent his working with us. In
the struggle for union there is room for neither neutrality nor
standing aside. Let there be no refusal. May we learn to have
confidence in one another, to deepen our love and understanding of
one another.
It is well, I think, that we should study together, with the guiding light
of the Holy Spirit, St John’s Apocalypse, “the revelation given by God to
Jesus Christ” (Rev. 1 :1) written by the disciple-apostle whom he loved.
We are churches. Listen, then, to “what the Spirit is saying to the
churches” (Rev. 2:7).
Let all of us, representatives of 310 churches, large or small in
number, study what the Spirit is saying to the angels of the churches in
Asia Minor: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadel¬
phia and Laodicea. In some of the words addressed to these churches of
34 Signs of the Spirit
the little flock we are able to recognize ourselves. What is written is for us
too, and we should have our ears open to hear.
To the church in Ephesus : “I know all about you, how hard you work
and how much you put up with... Nevertheless I have this complaint to
make; you have less love now than you used to... do as you used to at
first” (Rev. 2:1-7).
To the church in Smyrna: “I know the trials you have had, and how
poor you are — though you are rich — ... Even if you have to die, keep
faithful” (Rev. 2:8-11).
To the church in Pergamum: “You still hold firmly to my name, and
did not disown your faith in me... Nevertheless I have one or two
complaints to make :. . . among you, too, there are some as bad who accept
what the Nicolaitans teach... You must repent” (Rev. 2:12-17).
To the church in Thyatira: “I know your faith and devotion and how
much you put up with... Nevertheless, I have a complaint to make: you
are encouraging the woman Jezebel who claims to be a prophetess, and by
her teaching she is luring my servants away . . . hold firmly on to what you
already have until I come” (Rev. 2:18-28).
To the church in Sardis : “I know all about you : how you are reputed
to be alive and yet are dead... do you remember how eager you were
when you first heard the message? Hold on to that. Repent... There are a
few in Sardis. . . who have kept their robes from being dirtied, and they are
fit to come with me” (Rev. 3:1-6).
To the church in Philadelphia: “I know all about you;... though you
are not very strong, you have kept my commandments and not disowned
my name... hold firmly to what you already have, and let nobody take
your prize away from you” (Rev. 3:7-13).
To the church in Laodicea: “I know all about you: how you are
neither cold nor hot... since you are only lukewarm, I will spit you out of
my mouth... so repent... Look, I am standing at the door, knocking. If
one of you hears me calling and opens the door, I will come in to share his
meal” (Rev. 3:14-22).
On our journey of unity, witness and service, by word and deed,
we shall show forth, in love and truth, what the Holy Spirit is saying
to us. If only we would listen to him. There is no other way. Only
this one.
May our striving for unity continue, so that we may fulfill God’s will,
in accordance with Christ’s prayer “that they all may be one”. Let our
prayer be addressed to the Holy Spirit, that he may lead us to the unity
which is our Council’s main concern.
The Theme: “Come, Holy Spirit — Renew the Whole Creation” 35
I have been in the World Council of Churches since 1954. I owe the
Council much. I have met and got to know many brothers and sisters.
Some are in God’s nearer presence, and some are here. I remember all of
them with love. I have learned much from all of them, men and women.
May we remain ever faithful on our road to unity. Unity is not a vision yet
unseen, nor just an unrealizable dream. It exists in God the Father, God
the Christ and God the Holy Spirit. It exists invisibly in the Holy Trinity
and in the church. Our search is for visible unity. It is a holy task. It is the
daily striving of the churches. When unity will be accomplished is of no
importance. What is important is faithfulness to this endeavour, ministry
and witness for unity. Full unity will be accomplished in the fullness of
God’s own time.
Father, Son and Holy Spirit are working for this unity of ours. Christ
prays for it to his Father. It is for this that the Holy Spirit lives in the
church. It is one single unity with the Holy Trinity, for in the Holy Trinity
all are made one. This is what Christ said: “That they all may be one, as
we are one.” Let us not forget this “as we are”.
We shall continue this journey. We must not interrupt it. Unity may
happen even tomorrow, or maybe later. The way we work for our visible
unity is none other than cooperation with the will of the Holy Spirit.
The Orthodox church has been in the World Council of Churches
from the beginning. It will always remain a member of it. The member¬
ship of the Council is increasing steadily. This working together for unity
on the part of us all, ancient, more recent and younger churches, takes
much love, and it must always be fraternal cooperation.
This unity is not one of those matters that can be settled by votes and
counting heads. Each member has its own history, some going back over
many centuries, some only just of yesterday. May one member help
another and respect the other; may we learn to be humble, for unity
demands much humility, forgiveness and repentance. It requires boldness
and confidence, but good sense as well.
Our ministry and witness for unity begins with mission and
evangelism in the name of Christ. The church is located everywhere in
the world, embracing all humanity. There are members of the church,
and its ministers and witnesses throughout the world, the whole
oikoumene. Our mission to the world is an unhurried mission, without
fanaticism and without proselytism at the expense of other religions
and among ourselves. May our journey have as its basic rule the
freedom of every religion and every conscience, and the freedom of
the human spirit.
36 Signs of the Spirit
Our witness is one of mission and dialogue. All tongues, nations,
races, sexes, all kindreds, tribes and peoples are God's. They should be
free. We must strive for their freedom. This is our ministry in the Holy
Spirit, always and everywhere. Our dialogue with other religions and
ideologies has the same basis. Our goal is the unity of the world. Such
unity is not alien to the work of the Holy Spirit and the church. The Spirit
blows where he wills, and we have no right, nor is it an act of love, to
restrict his movement and his breathing, to bind him with fetters and
barbed wire.
Christ proclaimed that there is neither Jew nor Greek, barbarian,
Scythian, slave or free, male or female. Discerning how the Holy Spirit is
moving is an act of devotion calling for love, freedom and truth,
accompanied by prayer.
Peace, justice and the integrity of our created world are all one. We
have to keep our world “very good”, as God created it, for over it hovers
the Holy Spirit. May we not pollute, contaminate and defile nature and
humanity. May we always love humanity and creation. May there be no
slaves, may all be free. May we be just, may none be treated unjustly.
May there be no famine. May we support youth and old age. May there be
no illiterate, uneducated, poor, refugees, migrants, forgotten ones, aban¬
doned or lonely people. May we declare war on war. May we fight for
peace, “the peace of God, which passes all understanding” (Phil. 4:7).
We are all united on this march. Our Council rightly defined this
journey as for all people, so that it may promote both the union of the
churches and the unity of the world and wholeness of creation. Certainly
we have to confess that our Council often procrastinates and hesitates,
and sometimes is lacking in boldness. We have to tell the truth. I want to
stress that we should never procrastinate or hesitate on the subject of
freedom of religion, freedom of the church and freedom of humanity.
There is no room here for either compromise or procrastination.
In all these things the Holy Spirit is friend and provider. Without him
we can do nothing.
One more thing, and with this I shall end. Let us not forget that the
Spirit is holy and the church is holy, because the Spirit dwells in it.
We are used to thinking about the church’s unity, catholicity and
apostolicity. But we forget about its holiness. We forget that we have to
become holy, as far as we can, since we enjoy the comfort of the holy
Spirit and the help of Christ’s church. “Be ye holy,” says the scripture,
perfect, as God alone is, from beginning to end, eternally holy and
perfect. Without holiness nothing comes to fruition. Everything, and
The Theme: “Come, Holy Spirit — Renew the Whole Creation ” 37
especially the union of our churches, needs holiness, repentance, forgive¬
ness, prayer, love and truth.
So on the day of Pentecost in the Orthodox church we kneel to pray
for mercy, from God first, then from men and women. May we become
men and women of God. May we experience the transfiguration and the
true revelation.
Christ made God known to us. The Holy Spirit makes humanity
known to God.
The Blessed Virgin, the theotokos and Mother of Christ our God, and
all holy men and women, known and unknown, whose lives are seen or
“hidden”, transform human life, for all of us, and help us in our striving
after holiness, by the will of the Father, the sacrifice of the Son of Man and
the comfort of the Holy Spirit, for the restoration of all things at the last.
There are not many of us Christians in this world. Let us at least become the
leaven (1 Cor. 5 :6), “the remnant, chosen by grace” (Rom. 1 1 :5).
With all these things we shall wrestle during these days, united in our
love for one another. Our prayer will be :
Come, Holy Spirit, renew the whole creation.
Giver of life, sustain your creation.
Spirit of truth, set us free.
Spirit of unity, reconcile your people.
Holy Spirit, transform and sanctify us. Amen.
2.3. “COME, HOLY SPIRIT - RENEW
THE WHOLE CREATION”
Chung Hyun Kyung
Professor of Theology, Ewha Women ’s University, Seoul
Invocation
My dear sisters and brothers, welcome to this land of the Spirit. We
are gathered here together today to be empowered by the Holy Spirit for
our work of renewing the whole creation. Let us prepare the way of the
Holy Spirit by emptying ourselves. Indigenous people of Australia take
their shoes off on holy ground. When an Australian Aboriginal woman,
Anne Pattel-Gray, came to my church in Korea to preach she took off her
38 Signs of the Spirit
shoes, honouring our holy ground. Returning her respect for my people
and land, I want to take off my shoes, honouring her and her people’s
holy ground. For many Asian and Pacific people, taking off our shoes is
the first act of humbling ourselves to encounter the Spirit of God. Also in
our Christian tradition God called Moses to take his shoes off in front of
the burning bush to enter the holy ground — so he did. Do you think you
can do that too ? I would like to invite all of you to get on the holy ground
with me by taking off your shoes while we are dancing to prepare the way
of the Spirit. With humble heart and body, let us listen to the cries of
creation and the cries of the Spirit within it.
Come. The spirit of Hagar, Egyptian, black slave woman exploited and
abandoned by Abraham and Sarah, the ancestors of our faith (Gen.
21:15-21).
Come. The spirit of Uriah, loyal soldier sent and killed in the battlefield
by the great king David out of the king’s greed for his wife, Bathsheba (2
Sam. 11:1-27).
Come. The spirit of Jephthah’s daugher, the victim of her father’s faith,
offered as a burnt offering to God because he had won the war (Judg.
11:29-40).
Come. The spirit of male babies killed by the soldiers of king Herod upon
Jesus’ birth.
Come. The spirit of Joan of Arc, and of the many other women burnt at
the “witch trials” throughout the medieval era.
Come. The spirit of the people who died during the crusades.
Come. The spirit of indigenous people of the earth, victims of genocide
during the time of colonialism and the period of the great Christian
mission to the pagan world.
Come. The spirit of Jewish people killed in the gas chambers during the
holocaust.
Come. The spirit of people killed in Hiroshima and Nagasaki by atomic
bombs.
Come. The spirit of Korean women in the Japanese “prostitution army”1
during the second world war, used and tom by violence-hungry soldiers.
Come. The spirit of Vietnamese people killed by napalm. Agent Orange,
or hunger on the drifting boats.
The Theme: “Come, Holy Spirit — Renew the Whole Creation ” 39
Come. The spirit of Mahatma Gandhi, Steve Biko, Martin Luther King
Jr, Malcolm X, Victor Jara, Oscar Romero and many unnamed women
freedom fighters who died in the struggle for liberation of their people.
Come. The spirit of people killed in Bhopal and Chernobyl, and the spirit
of jelly babies from the Pacific nuclear test zone.
Come. The spirit of people smashed by tanks in Kwangju, Tiananmen
Square and Lithuania.
Come. The spirit of the Amazon rain forest now being murdered every
day.
Come. The spirit of earth, air and water, raped, tortured and exploited by
human greed for money.
Come. The spirit of soldiers, civilians and sea creatures now dying in the
bloody war in the Gulf.
Come. The spirit of the Liberator, our brother Jesus, tortured and killed
on the cross.
In the land of the Spirit with these spirits full of Han
I come from Korea, the land of spirits full of Han. Han is anger. Han
is resentment. Han is bitterness. Han is grief. Han is broken-heartedness
and the raw energy for struggle for liberation. In my tradition people who
were killed or died unjustly became wandering spirits, the Han- ridden
spirits. They are all over the place seeking the chance to make the wrong
right. Therefore the living people’s responsibility is to listen to the voices
of the Han- ridden spirits and to participate in the spirits’ work of making
right whatever is wrong. These Han- ridden spirits in our people’s history
have been agents through whom the Holy Spirit has spoken her compas¬
sion and wisdom for life. Without hearing the cries of these spirits we
cannot hear the voice of the Holy Spirit. I hope the presence of all our
ancestors’ spirits here with us shall not make you uncomfortable. For us
they are the icons of the Holy Spirit who became tangible and visible to
us. Because of them we can feel, touch and taste the concrete bodily
historical presence of the Holy Spirit in our midst. From my people’s land
of Han- filled spirits I come to join with you in another land of spirits full
of Han , full of the spirits of the indigenous people, victims of genocide.
Here, in Australia, we are gathered together from every part of our
mother earth to pray for the coming of the Holy Spirit to renew the whole
creation. Indeed it is a happy occasion, a big family gathering. I wish I
40 Signs of the Spirit
could celebrate our coming together with you all, but my heart is
overwhelmed with sadness due to the ongoing war in the Persian Gulf.
A voice is heard in Ramah,
lamentation and bitter weeping.
Rachael is weeping for her children ;
she refuses to be comforted for her children
because they are no more (Jer 31 : 15).
This is a time to weep. Rachael’s bitter weeping for her lost children is so
loud. The cries of mothers, wives and sisters who lost their beloved in the
war break our heart. Now we need a wailing wall in order to weep with
them. “... the whole creation has been groaning in travail” (Rom. 8:22),
surrounded by the smell of death. In the midst of this senseless destruc¬
tion of life with billion-dollar war machines, we call upon the Spirit who
“intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words” (Rom. 8:26). We pray
to the Spirit asking her help desperately: “Come, Holy Spirit — Renew
the Whole Creation.”
But what do we mean by this prayer? “Oh God! We messed up
again. Come and fix all our problems.” Are we saying “Come Holy
Spirit, come and stop the Gulf war and repair the ecological catas¬
trophe”, or are we saying “O God, we know you are the strongest
warrior, so powerful... we are sure your armament is stronger than
Saddam or Bush” ? If that is our prayer, I fear we may be returning to an
infantile faith. Isn’t this our temptation, to remain in our passivity, using
prayer as an excuse not to struggle in solidarity with all forms of life ?
After many years of such infantile prayers, I know there is no magic
solution to human sinfulness and for healing our wounds. I also know
that I no longer believe in an omnipotent, macho, warrior God who
rescues all good guys and punishes all bad guys. Rather, I rely on the
compassionate God who weeps with us for life in the midst of the cruel
destruction of life.
The spirit of this compassionate God has been always with us
from the time of creation. God gave birth to us and the whole
universe with her life-giving breath (ruach), the wind of life. This
wind of life, this life-giving power of God is the spirit which enabled
people to come out of Egypt, resurrected Christ from death and
started the church as a liberative community. We also experience the
life-giving Spirit of God in our people’s struggle for liberation, their
cry for life and the beauty and gift of nature. The Spirit of God has
The Theme: “Come, Holy Spirit — Renew the Whole Creation ” 41
been teaching us through the “survival wisdom” of the poor, the screams
of the Han-n&dzn spirits of our people and the blessings and curses of
nature. Only when we can hear this cry for life and can see the signs of
liberation are we able to recognize the Holy Spirit’s activity in the midst
of suffering creation.
From the spirit of Babel to the Spirit of Pentecost
However, what we see around us at this time are the signs of
death. We feel suffocated by the wind of death. What makes us
separated from this life-giving breath of God? I want to call it the
unholy spirit of Babel (Gen. 11:1-9). It is a spirit of so-called
upward mobility, acquisitiveness and division. The story of Babel is
the story of human greed without limit. This tower of greed made all
people divided. They talk to each other, but no longer understand
each other. They have lost the ability to feel with each other,
imprisoned by their own greed at the expense of others. Our brother
Jesus once called this greedy acquisitiveness “mammon”. He said:
“No one can serve two masters... you cannot serve God and
mammon” (Matt. 6:24). Mammon, carrying great wealth on its back,
exploits, breaks and kills people in order to possess more wealth.
This madness for possession divides human communities and finally
destroys our fragile earth. This is the evil spirit which produces a
missile worth more than a million dollars, nuclear bombs and
chemical weapons to keep its peace without justice.
This mammon which divides people is active not just in the Gulf but
everywhere. It is in the division of north and south Korea; apartheid in
South Africa; genocide of indigenous people in Australia, the Americas
and many other parts of the world; devaluation of women and children,
people of colour and differently-abled people; first- world dominated,
ugly Uruguay Round talks and finally the eco-cide of our earth. This is
the same evil spirit which crucified Jesus.
However, the spirit of mammon could not overcome the spirit of our
compassionate God. God did not abandon us to despair. God did not
allow us to indulge in self-pity as helpless victims. God called us to come
out of our prison of despair, cynicism and oppression. God empowered us
to choose life. When God’s Spirit was upon the people on the day of
Pentecost, God confronted their broken hearts and called them into
discipleship. Their nightmare of witnessing Jesus’ death turned into an
apocalyptic vision of a new world. Mary’s and Rachael’s bitter weeping
for their dead children turned into the foundation for building a new
42 Signs of the Spirit
community for life. When the life-giving power of the Spirit poured onto
the faithful, they saw the vision of a new world:
where their sons and daughters shall prophesy
and their young men shall see visions
and their old men shall dream dreams
and their women and men slaves shall prophesy (Acts 2:17-18).
The rush of wild wind and fire for life from God called them out from the
culture of silence, violence and death, and called them into speech, the
language of their own. They no longer need to communicate with the
language of their colonizers, rulers and imperialists. They can hear the
good news in their own native languages. The common language they lost
at the greedy tower of Babel was restored in a radically new way at
Pentecost. Now they can hear each other and understand one another, not
with the mono-language of the Roman empire, but with the diversities of
languages of their own. It was a language of liberation, connection and
unification from below. The wild wind of God breaks down the Babel
tower and all the divisions it produced within us, among us and around
us. This wild wind of life calls us to be passionate lovers and workers for
a new creation.
Call for metanoia : towards a “political economy of life”
Then what should we do when the spirit calls us ? The first thing we
should do is repent. While I was preparing for this reflection in Korea, I
had a chance to spend some time with Christian grassroots women
activists in Korea. I asked them if there was anything they wanted me to
say to the Christians from around the world gathered in Canberra with the
theme “Come, Holy Spirit — Renew the Whole Creation”. They told me:
“Tell them they don’t have to spend too much energy to call the Spirit
because the Spirit is already here with us. Don’t bother her by calling her
all the time. She is busy working hard with us. The only problem is we do
not have eyes to see and ears to hear the Spirit, as we are occupied with
our greed. So tell them ‘repent!’”2 So, sisters and brothers, I give you a
“not-so-pleasanf ’ greeting from my sisters, “Repent!” Indeed repentance
is the first step in any truthful prayer. What should we repent about?
Many things, but first of all we should repent for our hidden love for
mammon and our secret desire for the Babel tower. To prepare the way of
the Spirit, we need to be set free from the spell of mammon by emptying
ourselves. In Asia the practice of “voluntary poverty” has been the basis
of religious life. When we become free from our own greed by practising
The Theme: “Come, Holy Spirit — Renew the Whole Creation ” 43
“voluntary poverty” in every area of our life, we will achieve the moral
power to fight against “forced poverty” in all its forms.
Genuine repentance, metanoia, also means a radical change of direc¬
tion in our individual and communal life. In order to feel the Holy Spirit,
we have to turn ourselves to the direction of the wind of life, the direction
the Holy Spirit blows. Which direction is she blowing? It is the direction
leading to creating, liberating and sustaining life in its most concrete,
tangible and mundane forms. The Holy Spirit empowers us to move in
this direction in our struggle for wholeness. This is the Holy Spirit’s
“political economy of life”.3 This is the political economy not based on
the power of domination by capital, weapon or manipulation. This
political economy is based on the life-giving power of mutuality, inter¬
dependence and harmony. If the former is the “political economy of
death”, the latter is the “political economy of life”.
In order to be an active agent for the Spirit’s “political economy of
life” I envision three most urgent changes we should actualize if we are to
have a chance to survive on this dying planet.
The first is the change from anthropocentrism to life-centrism. One of
the most crucial agendas for our generation is to learn how to live with the
earth, promoting harmony, sustainability and diversity. Traditional Chris¬
tian creation theology and Western thinking put the human, especially
men, at the centre of the created world, and men have had the power to
control and dominate the creation. Modem science and development
models are based on this assumption. We should remember, however,
that this kind of thinking is alien to many Asian people and the indigenous
peoples of the world. For us the earth is the source of life and nature is
“sacred, purposeful and full of meaning”.4 Human beings are a very small
part of nature, not above it. For example, for Filipinos the earth is their
mother. They call her Ina, which means “mother” in Tagalog. Ina is a
great goddess from whom all life comes. As you respect your mother, you
should respect the earth. Isn’t it tme also that in the Christian tradition we
affirm that we all come from the earth ? God made us from the dust of the
earth.
If we compress the earth’s whole history into twenty-four hours,
“organic life would begin only at 5 p.m... mammals would emerge at
11.30 p.m ... and from amongst them at only seconds before midnight,
our species”.5 We are the late-comers on this earth. The earth is not dead.
It is “alive” with creative energy. The earth is “God-breathed”, and a
“God-infused” place.6 Human beings have exploited and raped the earth
for a long time, now is the time that nature and earth are beginning to take
44 Signs of the Spirit
revenge on us. They do not give us clean water, air and food any longer
since we have sinned against them so extensively.
In the theological world, liberation theologies express the yearning for
human wholeness. They echo voices from many oppressed people such as
the poor, black, women, indigenous, dalit people. They re-read the Bible
and reinterpret Christian tradition and theology from their experience of
oppression and liberation. This is perhaps the time we have to re-read the
Bible from the perspective of birds, water, air, trees and mountains, the
most wretched of the earth in our time. Learning to think like a mountain,
changing our centre from human beings to all living beings, has become
our “responsibility” in order to survive.
The second major change required is the change from the habit of
dualism to the habit of interconnection. In many parts of the world the
ways of human life are organized by the assumption of dualism. Our body
and our spirit, our emotion and our mind, our world and God, immanence
and transcendence, women and men, the black and the white, the poor
and the rich, the endless list of division in polarity results in a “split
culture”,7 where the latter element of polarity is more valuable and
important than the former one. Split culture breeds people of “split
personality”. In this culture “we are divided against ourselves”.8 We
forget that we all come from the same source of life, God, and all the
webs of our lives are interconnected. “In the beginning” there was a
relationship.9 God’s yearning for relationship with cosmos led to the
creation of the whole universe. When God created the universe God liked
it and felt it was beautiful. It was beautiful because it was in “right
relationship”,10 no exploitation, no division. It had its own integrity, all
beings in the universe danced with the rhythm of God, not against it.
However, when the dualistic habit came into the world in the name of
science, philosophy and religion, we began to objectify “others” as
separate from ourselves. In dualistic thinking others are the objects one
can control as one likes. This is the basis of all military action. They shoot
the enemy (people) and when the target (people) are destroyed they say
they “feel bloody good”.11 There is no balance, mutuality and inter¬
dependence in this objectification. There is also no ability to feel with
others in this thinking. There is only a wall of separation between
enemies.
In traditional North East Asian thinking we call life energy ki. 12 For us
hi is the breath and wind of life. Ki thrives in the harmonious interconnec¬
tions among sky, earth and people. When there is any division or
separation, ki (life energy) cannot flow and this leads to the destruction
The Theme: “Come, Holy Spirit — Renew the Whole Creation” 45
and illness of all living beings. Therefore for us renewal means to break
the wall of separation and division so that Id can breathe and flow in
harmony. If we are to survive we must learn to live with not dividing
dualism but integrating the interconnectedness of all beings.
The third change I envision for metanoia is change from the “culture
of death” to the “culture of life”. What is happening right now in the
Persian Gulf shows the best example of the “culture of death”. The way
the conflict is solved is through killing the enemy. By eliminating the
conflicting part they think they will achieve peace. Peace achieved by this
kind of violence, however, will only lead the world into greater oppres¬
sion. No cause can justify the innocent shedding of blood in a war. Who
goes to the war and whose blood is shed, in any case? Mostly young
people from poor families. Many of them are people of colour. Why do
they go to war? For the economic and political interest of the few in
power, who are mostly older people, and not to further their own
interests.
War is the consequence of the patriarchal culture of “power-over”.
In the patriarchal culture of hierarchy, winning for the dominant
group’s interest is more important than saving life. Throughout human
history, women have been crying over the death, in war, of their
beloved brothers, husbands and sons. Women know that patriarchy
means death. When their men shed blood, women shed tears. Their
powerful tears have been the redemptive, life-giving energy for the
tearless men’s history. Indeed weeping has been “the first prophetic
action”13 in human history. Only when we have an ability to suffer
with others ( compassion ) can we transform the “culture of death” to
the “culture of life”.
Korean church women declared that they would carry on the move¬
ment for “life-promoting culture”. They also work for the “year of
jubilee” declared by the Korean National Council of Churches. The “year
of jubilee” for us is the year 1995 which is the fiftieth year of our division
into north and south Korea. This division, brought about by the world
power struggle between East and West, has been the source of death for
Korean people. The truce line between the north and south suffocated our
ki (life energy) and put us under the constant oppression of the national
security law and the threat of war. In the jubilee year we want unification
of our people. We want to recover our ability to feel with and to suffer
with our North Korean sisters and brothers through our intertwining of
“culture of life” and “jubilee” movements to bring about unification. The
movement for justice, peace and a healthy ecology all over the world is a
46 Signs of the Spirit
movement for life. Without justice, peace and the integrity of creation,
there is no “culture of life”.
Break down the wall with wisdom and compassion
I want to close my reflection on the Holy Spirit by sharing with you
my image of the Holy Spirit from my cultural background. This image
embodies for me the three changes of direction I have described as
necessary for metanoia: life-centrism, the habit of interconnection and the
culture of life. The image does not come from my academic training as a
systematic theologian but from my gut feeling, deep in my people’s
collective unconsciousness that comes from thousands of years of spiritu¬
ality.
For me the image of the Holy Spirit comes from the image of Kwan
In. She is venerated as the goddess of compassion and wisdom by East
Asian women’s popular religiosity. She is a bodhisattva, enlightened
being. She can go into nirvana any time she wants to, but refuses to go
into nirvana by herself. Her compassion for all suffering beings makes her
stay in this world enabling other living beings to achieve enlightenment.
Her compassionate wisdom heals all forms of life and empowers them to
swim to the shore of nirvana. She waits and waits until the whole
universe, people, trees, birds, mountains, air, water, become enlight¬
ened. They can then go to nirvana together where they can live collec¬
tively in eternal wisdom and compassion. Perhaps this might also be a
feminine image of the Christ who is the first-born among us, one who
goes before and brings others with her.
Dear sisters and brothers, with the energy of the Holy Spirit let us tear
apart all walls of division and the “culture of death” which separate us.
And let us participate in the Holy Spirit’s political economy of life
fighting for our life on this earth in solidarity with all living beings, and
building communities for justice, peace and the integrity of creation.
Wild wind of the Holy Spirit, blow to us. Let us welcome her, letting
ourselves go in her wild rhythm of life. Come Holy Spirit, Renew the
Whole Creation. Amen !
NOTES
1 During the second world war, Japan recruited poor, rural Korean women (by force) in the
name of “army labour forces”. Instead of working in the factories these women were
forced to be official prostitutes for Japanese soldiers. Most of them died of venereal
diseases or were killed during the war. For more information on these women, see my
article, “ Han-pu-ri : Doing Theology from Korean Women’s Perspective”, The Ecumeni¬
cal Review, Vol. 40, No. 1, January 1988.
The Theme: “Come, Holy Spirit — Renew the Whole Creation ” 47
2 These words came from my discussion on the Holy Spirit with my sisters in the Korean
Association of Christian Women for Democracy. I especially want to express my
appreciation to Sohn Ewn Wha, Myung No Sun, Kho Ae Shin and Kim Jung Soo for their
insights.
3 For the term “political economy of life” I am indebted to Korean minjung theologian Suh
Kwang Sun.
4 Kwok Pui Lan, unpublished Bible study delivered at the world convocation on “Justice,
Peace and the Integrity of Creation” in Seoul, Korea, 8 March 1990.
5 Joanna Macy, Thinking Like a Mountain, p.42.
6 Jay McDaniel, The Ecumenical Review, Vol. 2, No. 2, April 1990, p.167.
7 Susan Griffin, “Split Culture”, in Judith Plant ed., Healing the Wounds: The Promise of
Ecofeminism, Philadelphia, New Society Publishers, 1989.
8 Ibid., p.7.
9 See Dorothy Solle, To Work and To Love : A Theology of Creation, Philadelphia, Fortress
Press, 1984, for a creation theology based on mutual relationship between God and us.
10 See Carter Heyward, Our Passion for Justice, New York, Pilgrim, 1984, for her concept
of justice as “right relationship”.
11 This is what a pilot of the allied forces said after bombing Iraq. I saw it in an Australian
daily newspaper, 20 January 1991.
12 For this understanding of ki I am indebted to Korean minjung theologian and New
Testament scholar Ahn Byung Mu. I learned about the similar nature of ki and ruach from
Dr Ahn’s lecture on “ki and the Holy Spirit” presented at the theological preparation
meeting for the seventh assembly of the WCC, organized by the Korean National Council
of Churches.
13 See Walter Brueggeman, The Prophetic Imagination, Philadelphia, Fortress Press, 1978.
Left: Grand Protopresbyter Georges Tsetsis, who read the presentation by
Patriarch Parthenios . Right: Prof. Chung Hyun Kyung.
3. The Sub-themes
3.1. INTRODUCTION
How do human beings talk about the activity of the Holy Spirit?
Scripture and the Tradition of the church speak of the Spirit’s work in a
variety of ways, four of which were lifted up as sub-themes for the
seventh assembly.
The Spirit, for example, is intimately linked in scripture with cre¬
ation. In the beginning “the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the
waters” (Gen. 1 :2). The same Hebrew word is used in Genesis 2 when
God breathed into humans the breath (or spirit) of life. This biblical
witness to the life-giving work of the Spirit is behind the familiar
confession of the Nicene Creed: “I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord the
giver of life.” It is also the basis of the first sub-theme : “Giver of Life —
Sustain your Creation !”
Another emphasis is found in John’s Gospel where the Spirit is
identified as the one who reveals, exposes, convicts, and leads believers
“into all truth” (John 16:13). This points towards the second sub-theme:
“Spirit of Truth — Set us Free !”
The central event connected with the Holy Spirit in scripture is the
descent of the Spirit upon the disciples at Pentecost (Acts 2). Here the
focus is on unity and community. This understanding is further developed
in the letters of Paul where the apostle speaks of the gifts of the Spirit
which bind and build people together into a community of reconciliation.
Thus we have the third sub-theme : “Spirit of Unity — Reconcile your
People !”
Within the history of the church considerable attention has been paid
to the tranforming and sanctifying activity of the Spirit, the one through
whom we experience newness of life. It is on this that the fourth sub¬
theme focuses: “Holy Spirit — Transform and Sanctify Us!”
The Sub-themes 49
These four sub-themes (actually formulated as prayers) were explored
in plenary through a “round-table discussion” on the assembly’s second
day. Veteran ecumenist, Dr Pauline Webb (Methodist, United Kingdom),
served as animator, with brief presentations made by four “panelists”:
Rev. David McDonald (United, Canada), member of the House of
Commons in the Canadian parliament; Dr Philip Potter (Methodist,
Caribbean), former general secretary of the WCC; Dr Mary Tanner
(Anglican, England), ecumenical officer for the Church of England; and
Metropolitan John of Pergamon (Eastern Orthodox, Turkey), professor at
the University of Thessaloniki and at London University. We include here
major portions of three of the presentations.
“... Truth in the New Testament is no abstract word. The Greek word
for it means not hidden or closed, not covered up, that which is made
open, made visible, uncovered, disclosed — that which becomes transpa¬
rent.
“In Hebrew truth is emeth, amunah — Amen, meaning faith and
faithfulness, trust and trustworthiness, reliability, commitment.
“It is in this sense that Jesus said ‘the world cannot receive the spirit
of truth because it neither sees nor knows him’. This is the tragic
bondage of the world which thrives on hiding, covering up, closing
reality, a world in which trust, reliability and mutual commitment are in
such short supply.
“It is in contrast to this that Jesus said to his disciples in John 8 :3 1 -32 :
‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples and you will
know the truth and the truth will make you free.’ The prayer to the Spirit
is to enable us so to appropriate by faith the message of Christ that our
lives will become open, trustworthy, trust-creating, reliable and free —
and therefore liberated. Our liberated existence will be marked by
transparency and trusting, trustful, reliable commitment to people and
causes.
“It is in the light of this radical call to faith and freedom that we are
invited in this assembly to wrestle with some of the most vital questions
of our existence today as human beings, as communities, nations, races,
sexes, and as those who communicate with one another.
“What, then, are some of the specific tasks before us in the assembly
and in the coming years?
“1. Our economic systems, capitalism and the monetary and financial
systems which undergird it, have become more and more hidden, covered
up, faceless and especially unaccountable. We have talked a great deal
50 Signs of the Spirit
about justice and a free and open market, but when we try to understand
the structures of political economy they escape our grasp. In fact there is
no international authority to which these structures are accountable. The
existing systems set in place at Bretton Woods after the second world
war, such as the World Bank, the IMF, GATT, as well as the mysterious
workings of stock exchanges, are either dominated by a very few
industrialized countries or in their transnational manifestations are free
from any responsible control in any meaningful democratic way.
“In our world in which so many economic and political systems are in
crisis, now is the time to bring a Christian understanding and judgment to
bear on them for the sake of any meaningful existence as a human family.
“2. The whole system of national security, interstate conflicts, the
arms race, and open conflicts have their roots in attitudes of universal
mistrust based on the determination to hide, cover up our intentions from
each other. Nor are we willing to entrust conflictual situations to the one
body we have which has the potentialities for promoting open discussion
of trust and of collective security — the UN and its many agencies. Our
assembly, I hope, will reaffirm the support we gave in 1948 to the UN
and do so in ways which will mobilize our member churches to challenge
the member states to enable the UN to be the guardian and hope of our
rights and obligations and our well-being as a human race.
“3. In an age of enormous development of the communication media,
we need to join the WACC in advocating a more comprehensive and
acceptable world information and communication order, which can
ensure that people everywhere are well informed of what is happening in
their world and, through a dialogue of cultures, be mutually enriched for a
more human community of caring and sharing.
“4. We must allow the Spirit of truth who is the Spirit of community
and communion to enable both sexes and all races and cultures to be
liberated, and to exercise the diversity of their gifts in the unity of love,
joy, peace, mutual goodness and respect.”
Philip Potter
“A major challenge to sub-theme 3 will be to give some account of
visible, reconciled living which will defy the overworked, stale jargon
that has lost, it seems, all power to convince us. We desperately need a
‘mobilizing' portrait of visible, reconciled life that will hold together an
absolute commitment to the unity and renewal of the church and an
absolute commitment to the reconciliation of God’s world and show us
the inseparable relation between them. We shall be an inward-looking,
The Sub-themes 51
selfish, self-interested group of people if our search for the unity of the
church is separated from the search for justice and peace : but will we not
become simply another secular movement or political party if we divorce
the mending of the world from the unity and reconciliation of Christians
in one body of Christ?
“But can we find a ‘mobilizing’ vision that will convince us:
— that we are required to confess our faith together in words — for truth
does matter — but in words that pass into lives of serving Christ in the
hungry and poor;
— that we are to be formed and sustained in one sacramental life of
grace, entered by baptism and celebrated at a single, simple round
table where all are welcome and from which all are sent out in the
power of the Holy Spirit to work for justice and peace ;
— that we are to be served, not lorded over, by a single ministry which
nurtures the gifts the Holy Spirit gives us for serving God’s hurting
world ;
— that we are to be bonded together by structures of grace which will
enable us to decide and speak together and through which we are most
effectively the people of God for the world ?
“We have been singularly unsuccesful in providing a captivating
picture of renewed and reconciled life in the church.
“And if this portrait of visible unity is to convince us it must astonish
us with its diversity. We are not looking for a super church which will
knock us into submissive uniformity. It must say, ‘be Aboriginal Chris¬
tians with God and each other in authentic Aboriginal ways’ ; ‘be Indian
Christians with God and each other in authentic Indian ways’ ; ‘be African
Christians with God and each other in authentic African ways’ ; ‘do not
deny your identity and do not stifle the uniqueness the Spirit gives ! ’
There are tolerable limits to diversity. But we can be confident that
authentic diversity will flourish on the basis of a rediscovered unanimity
in faith, baptism, eucharist, ministry and bonded common and caring life.
“And if the portrait is to convince, it must make quite clear that in the
communion of the church the personal and relational is always prior to the
institutional. It must be so, for our unity is grounded in the personal and
relational life of God. Without the institutional, the personal and rela¬
tional is hampered. Equally, we cannot grow in institutional unity unless
this springs out of a growth in personal communion and community
living. So we must learn to love and to know one another.
“And if the portrait is to convince, it must make quite clear that
difference of opinion, disagreements, creative tensions, yes, even con-
52 Signs of the Spirit
flicts, are always going to be a part of common Christian living. The truth
of God is wondrously complex, delicately balanced, infinitely subtle; it
cannot be trapped in human moulds. Because there will be differences as
we seek to perceive truth we must be ready to bear and stick with the
unavoidable pain of difference. Sharp things that divide us can paradoxi¬
cally turn out as gifts, not only because they open up deep theological
issues, but because they touch deep levels of pain and passion, which test
what it means that we are called to love our enemies. The world in all of
its divisions of political parties and creeds is not used to such a possibility
as this ; that those on opposing sides should stay together, should bear one
another’s burdens and enter one another’s sufferings. If we can live
together in the communion of the church, bearing the cost of difference,
we shall get hold at a deeper level of a communion with a God who
suffers and we shall be rewarded with an experience of reconciliation and
unity grounded in the unity of God the Holy Trinity, at whose heart is
forever a cross. Somewhere in here is the key to the cost of reconciled
living: for there is no reconciliation without the cross. If we can model
this, then both in our being and by our doing we shall be ‘sign’ to the
world of the life and values of God’s kingdom and ‘sacrament’ for the
world.”
Mary Tanner
“There are two ways of asking the Holy Spirit to be involved in any
process of transformation leading to holiness. One is to ask the Spirit to
assist with our efforts. This is the way of ethics: we do the planning, we
make the effort, and the Spirit is asked to help. The other way is to leave
everything to the Spirit. We do nothing but pray, and leave everything to
the Spirit. Both of these extremes are wrong, but of these two the first one
is probably the one we have to watch out for more carefully at this time of
widespread rationalism and planning.
“The Spirit seems to have an obsession with freedom. He blows
where He wills, and does not like to be told what to do. We must certainly
try, and we must definitely do our best. But when we pray for the Spirit to
come we must be prepared for the unexpected. Our computers may well
prove to be wrong or even useless...
“Holiness means setting apart someone or something for God. The
ethos of holiness requires an attitude towards all that exists (our bodies,
our minds, the material world, etc.) as if it by nature belonged to God.
We cannot own ourselves, our bodies, our lives, our natural resources,
The Sub-themes 53
etc. — they belong to God. We are in the world as the priests of creation
endowed with the privilege of referring back creation to its Creator.
“This eucharistic ethos is the first thing that we need today at a time of
severe ecological crisis. This is a spirituality that flourished among the
desert Fathers, but has been forgotten in the meantime. It has to be
recovered urgently, now that we need to be redeemed from an
anthropomonistic attitude to existence....
“Finally, holiness means liberation or rather freedom. ‘Where the
Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom’ (2 Cor. 3:17). Liberation is from
someone or something; freedom is for someone or something. Both
aspects are associated with the work of the Spirit, who is freedom. These
take various forms:
a) liberation from the past (forgiveness through repentance (metanoia)) ;
b) liberation from passions of ego-centricity (= ascesis, healing one’s
self) ;
c) liberation from injustice, exploitation, poverty and all social evil;
d) liberation — yes ! — even from decay and death (something we speak
so little about) ;
e) freedom to love, even one’s enemies; to allow for personal, cultural
and other differences and identities to exist and to create; to give
one’s life for others as our Lord gave it on the cross.
“We must work for a spirituality that will make sense for all human
beings in all walks of life. Yet we must guard ourselves against an easy
spiritualism. We often speak too easily and too quickly of the presence
and the activity of the Holy Spirit in what we do. We must humbly submit
what we are and what we do to his purifying judgment, waiting for him to
reveal the truth. There is always the danger to confuse the Spirit of God
with our own psychological experiences or certainties. The Spirit is God,
He is Lord, He cannot be contained by our own feelings. The best we can
do is to worship him as Lord, to pray to him to dwell among us, and to
await patiently upon him in all that we do.”
John of Pergamon
All official participants at Canberra were assigned to one of the four
“sections”, and each section focused on one of the sub-themes. The
reports from these sections were eventually summarized and incorporated
into the “Report of the Seventh Assembly” (see 6.2) which was presented
in plenary for formal adoption. The section reports, printed below, were
also presented in plenary during the assembly’s final week but not for
adoption or amendment. Instead, the assembly was asked to approve the
54 Signs of the Spirit
substance of the reports and to commend them to the churches for study
and action. Since amendment was not allowed, comments made at the
plenary discussions have been summarized and included as appendices to
the section reports.
The reports were presented by Ms Ruth Abraham (Lutheran,
Ethiopia), Dr Margot Kaessmann (United, Germany), Dr Turid Karlsen
Seim (Lutheran, Norway), and Prof. Kwesi Dickson (Methodist, Ghana).
They appear here as they were prepared by the sections in Canberra.
3.2. REPORT OF SECTION I:
“GIVER OF LIFE - SUSTAIN YOUR CREATION!”
Prologue
The work of section I, “Giver of Life — Sustain your Creation !”, was
enriched by the use of several background materials which delegates wish
to mention. These included the official Resources for Sections book, as
well as Orthodoxy and the Ecological Crisis, prepared by the Ecumenical
Patriarchate, and the report on “The Churches’ Role in Protecting the
Earth’s Atmosphere” from a recent meeting of several churches and
ecumenical organizations held in Gwatt, Switzerland.
In particular, the section delegates wish to underscore the contribution
of the pre-assembly consultation on sub-theme 1 held in Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia, in May 1990. This report served as a most valuable resource
and reference for the work of the section.
I. Theology of creation: challenge for our time
A. Introduction
1. The boundless mystery of the universe, the abundance, beauty and
grandeur of creation and of this precious planet manifest the glory of God.
We confess the Triune God as the source of all life. The Holy Spirit, to
whom we pray in the prayer-theme of this assembly, manifests God’s
energy for life present in all things and reminds us of the total dependence
of all things on God. Through Jesus Christ all things have been made, and
in him God’s creation comes to its fulfilment. Through Christ’s cross and
resurrection we are assured that the entire creation is made new. All
The Sub-themes 55
things have been reconciled to God in Jesus Christ and through the Spirit
we begin to experience God’s future.
2. The divine presence of the Spirit in creation binds us as human
beings together with all created life. We are accountable before God in
and to the community of life, an accountability which has been imaged in
various ways: as servants, stewards and trustees, as tillers and keepers, as
priests of creation, as nurturers, as co-creators. This requires attitudes of
compassion and humility, respect and reverence.
3. Yet, while the earth was created by God out of nothing in a pure
and simple act of love, and the Spirit has never abandoned the creation or
ceased sustaining it, the earth on which we live is in peril. Creation
protests its treatment by human beings. It groans and travails in all its
parts (Rom. 8:22). Ecological equilibrium has been severely broken.
Through misinterpretation of our faith and through collective and indi¬
vidual misbehaviour we as Christians have participated in the process of
destruction, rather than participating in the repentance that God requires.
4. In the Bible danger and destruction are understood as the signs of
the time which call for repentance and renewal of the relationship with
God and the whole creation. The stark sign of our time is a planet in peril
at our hands. The invitation is to return to God and call upon the Spirit to
reorient our lives accordingly. At this assembly, we commit ourselves
anew to living as a community which cares for creation.
5. Responsibility requires that we recognize the character of the crisis
in our midst. In the present international scene we confront two major
problems: (a) the worldwide social justice crisis; and (b) the global
ecological and environmental crisis. Pursuing justice requires us to learn
new ways of paying attention to all creation — the land, water, air, all
people, plant life and other living creatures. A new vision will integrate
our interdependent ecological, social, economic, political and spiritual
needs. We want to say as forcefully as we can that social justice for all
people and eco-justice for all creation must go together. Social justice
cannot happen apart from a healthy environment, and a sustainable and
sustaining environment will not come about without greater social justice.
Justice is truly indivisible, not only as a matter of theological conviction
but in practice. The biblical concept of justice recognizes the need for
healthy relationships in creation as a whole. This way of viewing justice
helps us understand the linkage between poverty, powerlessness, social
conflict and environmental degradation.
6. Yet we live in a moment of extreme jeopardy. For the first time,
cumulative human activity threatens destruction not only of local and
56 Signs of the Spirit
regional eco-sy stems but the planetary ecology as a whole. The warming
of the earth’s atmosphere poses grave danger to the capacity of human
and other life to survive and flourish. We are further threatened by the
cumulative effect of other factors, including destruction of the earth’s
protective ozone shield, land degradation through deforestation, erosion,
desertification, salinization, commercial exploitation, militarization and
wars, water pollution, air pollution, species extinction and more. All of
creation seems broken, wounded and hurt. It is shocking and frightening
for us that the human species on this earth, which came on the scene
somewhere around 80,000 years ago in the 4.5 billion-year-long history
of this earth, has been able to threaten the very foundations of life on our
planet in only about 200 years of industrialization. This crisis has deep
roots in human greed, exploitation and economic systems which deny the
elemental truth that any and every economic and social system is always a
sub-system of the eco-system and is totally dependent on it. The indus¬
trial/post-industrial economic systems treat nature simply as “natural
resources” and abuse it for profit.
7. The destruction of the environment cries out for urgent repentance
and conversion. We are beckoned to rediscover a biblical vision and a
new understanding of ourselves and God’s creation. The only future
foreshadowed by the present crises, both social and ecological, is
massive suffering, both human and other than human. “Giver of Life —
Sustain your Creation!” is our prayer; we should pray it without
ceasing.
B. Towards a deepened understanding of creation
8. In exploring our prayer-theme, “Giver of Life — Sustain your
Creation !”, we have discovered common perspectives along the follow¬
ing lines.
9. The scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, reveal the essential
truths about creation and our relationship to it as human beings. God is
the Creator of all that exists, the creation (Gen. 1 :lff.), and has declared
that “it was very good” (Gen. 1:31; 1 Tim. 4:4). God’s Spirit continually
sustains and renews the earth (Ps. 104:30). The scriptures teach that
human beings were created by God from the earth. In addition, God gave
them the breath of life (Gen. 2:7) and created them in the divine image
and likeness (Gen. 1:26-27). A special aspect of the image of God in
human beings is to reflect God’s providence for the created world, to care
for it and to serve as its protector. Thus, humanity is both part of the
created world and charged to be God’s steward of the created world.
The Sub-themes 57
Human beings are charged to “keep” the earth and “serve it” (Gen. 2:15),
in an attitude of that blessed meekness which will inherit the earth.
10. The biblical creation stories affirm that humanity is an integral
part of the creation, but has a special responsibility for it. This relation¬
ship between the Creator, creation and humanity is often expressed in
covenants, beginning with the covenant made with Noah, and renewed
with the people of God. Human sin has broken the covenant and subjected
the creation to distortion, disruption and disintegration — “to futility”
(Rom. 8:20). Our economies and greed have brought it to the brink of
destruction.
11. However, the Bible reminds us that the redemptive work of Jesus
Christ was renewal not only of human life, but of the whole cosmos. Thus
we have hope that the covenant promises for the earth’s wholeness can
find fulfilment. In Christ, “the creation itself will be set free from its
bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children
of God” (Rom. 8:21).
12. In the whole of the Christian life, we take up the created things of
this world and offer them to God for sanctification and transfiguration so
that they might manifest the kingdom, where God’s will is done and the
creation glorifies God for ever. The sacraments of Christian worship use
the elements of the created world to manifest the Triune God present
among and in us. This sacramental Christian perspective influences our
approach to the creation in general. We must never forget that “the earth
is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it” (Ps.
24:1).
13. Exploring the prayer “Giver of Life — Sustain your Creation!”
also exposed great theological failures of the past. Many streams of the
tradition have misunderstood dominion (Gen. 1 :28) as exploitation and
God’s transcendence as absence. The more theology stressed only God’s
absolute trancendence and distance from the material sphere, the more the
earth was viewed as a mere object of human exploitation and
“unspiritual” reality. Nature has been subjected to human ownership and
unqualified manipulation. The divine image and likeness have been
perverted into arrogant, ruthless rulership with little regard for the earth
and fellow human beings. Dualistic thinking about spirit and matter, male
and female, and the relationship among races has resulted in structures
and patterns of domination and exploitation that parallel the domination
of nature. While we repudiate these consequences, we have to confess
that they belong to life-styles and power structures which have received
theological support and sanction.
58 Signs of the Spirit
14. Reviving the biblical concept of service and stewardship, of the
coexistence and interdependence of all parts of cosmic life, and of
collective accountability (Matt. 25:21), we need to listen to various
traditions and streams of thinking within and outside Christianity.
a) Women worldwide have told of the parallel ways in which they and
the land have been imaged and treated, and the work of the Spirit in
healing the wounds of both. Women’s experience is indispensable to
understanding the relationships of humans and the earth, and to healing it.
In similar ways, those who till the land and nurture the earth have rich
insights to be shared.
b) The poor teach all of us things we must know for an adequate
theology of creation. They invariably suffer first and most from a
degraded environment. In a world intricately interconnected, their strug¬
gles are thus a critical practical starting point for restoration and well¬
being.
c) Learning from the Old Testament and from the Jewish perception
of our relation to creation is crucial to a new ecological sensitivity.
Precious insights can be learned also from dialogue with other faiths, and
with the heritage of indigenous peoples and non- Western cultures, espe¬
cially those who have retained their spirituality of the land and the
sacredness of all life.
d) The knowledge and insight of scientists is also indispensable.
Scientists are the keepers of the most powerful tools for the empirical
understanding of nature and of nature’s fragility in the face of human
onslaught. Our sense of the mystery of life and our awe and wonder at the
Creator’s handiwork are deepened from the discoveries of science.
e) The differently-abled among us have not been sufficiently heard to
date. Without doubt, they have much to teach all of us for creation
theology.
C. Conclusion
15. We believe this exploration of creation theology should continue.
We as the WCC recommend undertaking a major worldwide study of our
understanding of creation and its biblical foundations.
16. We affirm our commitment to the healing of creation and
restoration of relationships that build harmony, wholeness and the king¬
dom of God. We believe strongly that the WCC, member churches and all
Christians should seek justice, peace and the renewal of all creation. This
challenges churches to study the situation and consider radical social
change. We call for a reordering of personal and corporate life-styles,
The Sub-themes 59
relationships and the overall economic system. At Canberra we were able
to re-examine, deepen, enhance, change and develop our view of creation
as Christians. In this effort we have prayed for guidance by the Holy
Spirit, remembering that we are called not to trust every spirit, but to be
led into truth. We are grateful for the opportunity of Christian fellowship
and sense of community that we experienced here.
II. Towards an ethic of economy and ecology
A. Vision
17. Our vision is of people of different faiths beginning to learn
from each other’s spirituality and inspiration while developing practical
examples in commitment to community and sharing. Our vision is of
those with enough material goods beginning to live with less while
replacing their idolatry of consumerism with a new spirituality, and of
those with economic and political power making decisions based on the
needs of all creation, leading to a fuller life for all. Our vision is one in
which the local communities of this planet are empowered to resist the
many threats to our survival. Only by acknowledging the fundamental
worth of all creation can we hope to reverse the direction of destructive,
human-created processes. Only from the grassroots can people be
persuaded to follow the gospel while resisting the pressures of greed and
covetousness that pervade human life. We envision a world in which the
needs of all creation are integrated with the workings of governments
and international business, where importing and exporting do not spell
hunger and environmental degradation for the poor. In such a world bio¬
regions are more important than national boundaries. Our vision is that
the industrialized countries develop new patterns of energy-consumption
in order to slow down considerably the dangerous process of global
warming. In our new vision, the resources of the various sciences,
technological research and economic analysis will be in the service of all
of creation. New concepts of economic development coming from
intellectual work will respect the integrity of all life-forms. The goal of
technology will be to work with nature and its mysteries and not to
master it.
18. For Jews and Christians together the institutions of the sabbath,
the sabbatical year and the jubilee year provide a clear vision on economic
and ecological reconciliation, social restoration and personal renewal.
Sabbath reminds us that time, the realm of being, is not just a commodity,
but has a quality of holiness, which resists our impulse to control,
60 Signs of the Spirit
command and oppress. In the concepts of the sabbatical and jubilee year,
economic effectiveness in the use of scarce resources is joined to
environmental stewardship, law to mercy, economic order to social
justice. It is not production and consumption that sustain our earth but
rather the ecological systems that have to support human life. There exists
an intimate and unbreakable relationship between economy and ecology
as the churches’ process on justice, peace and integrity of creation has
amply demonstrated. Should we not contemplate and revitalize the
biblical concept of sabbath, sabbatical and jubilee year to substitute a
global liberation of creation within fifty years for the gloomy future now
predicted by ecologists from all over the world ?
B. Obstacles
19. One of the major obstacles to a realization of the biblical vision
for the fulfilment of creation lies in ideologies which separate subject
from object, mind from matter, nature from culture. Political economic
thinking still sees progress as production and consumption of more and
more goods while development is equated with growth. But the planet is
finite and its capacity to sustain growth already is seriously affected.
20. A second constraint lies in the division of the world into
industrialized and non-industrialized nations. The isolation of wealth
from the needs of the poor has resulted in a North-South confrontation
which is causing more and more polarization and conflict. Exploitation of
nations by nations, of people by companies, of those who have no more to
offer than the work of their hands by others who have access to economic
resources, affects creation utterly negatively. The food we eat while our
neighbour is hungry and the wealth we enjoy at the expense of others
separate us from the realm of life while destroying the integrity of our
souls. It is, in the words of Pope John Paul II, the structures of sin that
have to be destroyed. Any policy or action that threatens the sustainability
of creation, by whatever means — exploitation of environment or people,
industrial pollution, agricultural over-production, scientific development
or wasteful consumerism — needs to be questioned. No longer can we
ignore the burdens of a debt that could never be repaid. The excessive and
persistent debt that afflicts many poorer nations leaves them with little
alternative but to degrade creation and with it also societies and cultures.
This problem is magnified by the perpetuation of so many regimes that do
not base their policies and behaviour on the rights of the poor or on human
obligations towards nature, and which are not subject to democratic
control. The same applies to other institutions including global corpora-
The Sub-themes 61
tions. Such institutions increase the monetary wealth of some through the
loss of natural wealth for all. In efforts to increase the gross national
product, the gross natural product is diminished.
21. Neither can we close our eyes to the potential misuse of biotech¬
nologies in which the moral and spiritual dimensions of life are ignored.
No longer can we ignore the root causes of population growth which lie,
more than in anything else, in the poverty and the lack of social security
still prevailing in two-thirds of our world.
22. In the end the main obstacle to the realization of our vision lies in
our own hearts, in our fear of change, in our lukewarmness, in our lack of
spirituality, in apathy and uncritical conformity to the status quo, in our
lack of trust in God. We desperately need the dynamic power of the Spirit
that integrates our faith with our daily lives, our worship with our action,
and our justification with our sanctification.
C. Strategies
23. The free-market economy provides a mechanism for rapid
response to those needs which can be expressed in terms of money and
which are backed by a money income. Essential as such systems of
markets and prices may be, they do not possess any inherent morality.
The shameful arms trade which is one of the root causes of the Gulf war,
as well as of poverty, hunger and malnutrition in many regions, provides
a clear illustration of the immorality of business in our world today.
While innumerable people were starving, valuable resources were spent
on military equipment. Now the states which supplied the arms to Iraq
have deemed it necessary to form a coalition to destroy the military
hardware they themselves delivered. As another painful example of
victims of militarization we mention the people in the Pacific who suffer
and die because of nuclear testing and the dumping of nuclear waste. As
Christians we feel shame regarding the immoral arms trade and the
militarization of our world.
24. The world ecumenical movement has a long history of moral
criticism of the economic order. Points of critique included the lack of
economic democracy, social injustice, and the stimulation of human
greed. Although in some parts of the world it has been possible to correct
gross inequality and complete unaccountability of those holding econo¬
mic power, there still persists a flagrant international inequality in the
distribution of income, knowledge, power and wealth while acquisitive
materialism has developed into the dominant ideology of our day. There
is a constant urge to move up in the hierarchy of possessors of goods.
62 Signs of the Spirit
25. To the still valid critique of the economic order that was expressed
by previous ecumenical gatherings, we have added the totally irrespons¬
ible exploitation of the created world, resulting in a horrific degradation
of the planet earth.
26. Noting that reform of the economic order in the past never
came automatically, but always through contradiction, opposition and
social struggle, we are aware that now more than ever the market
economy is in need of reform. We have discussed the following
instruments to overcome the basic constraints of our time to a
realization of social justice and ecologically responsible human be¬
haviour.
7. Local self- empowerment
27. Around the world we see that small groups of people of all
races and classes, filled with courage and hope, can make a
difference. Their action takes two forms. First, they organize them¬
selves in order to resist. They resist the global corporations with their
policies for “development” from above. Their action is based on the
strong belief that what is not good for marginalized people is not
good for society.
28. Secondly, these small local communities try to live against the
trends of an acquisitive society in which individual greed and social and
ecological exploitation predominate. In some places where colonization
and marginalization of people have devastated the lives of communities,
those forms of local direct action often bring a new quality of life based
not primarily on acquiring goods but rather on living in right relation with
all of creation.
29. With sadness we must admit that the efforts of local communities
to resist and to change the trends do not always end in positive outcomes.
But where they do, these experiences can inspire and stimulate the self¬
empowerment of other local groups. Hence we commend the monitoring
of positive change based on such questions as the decision-making
process, means of financial control and the way in which people were
empowered by the decisions made.
30. It is important to note that experiences of local communities in
their direct action should not only inspire other marginalized groups. It is
particularly the life-styles of those in more privileged positions that need
encouragement towards a radical change. Many constructive suggestions
regarding such a change have already been made and only need to be
followed.
The Sub-themes 63
2. Reform of the international economic order
31. In discussing empowerment of local people, we should not lose
sight of how the world community must be accountable to the whole
creation and responsible for the economic and ecological choices to which
the world trade system leads. In the realization of economic, social and
cultural rights (the so-called second generation of human rights) we have
only just started our efforts. It is an illusion to think that the United
Nations covenant outlining these rights could be implemented while the
exploitation of nations by other nations continues. Particularly the chur¬
ches in industrialized countries must put great pressure on their govern¬
ments to establish just patterns of trade and to share their resources with
the poorer nations. Initiatives should be taken to overcome the interna¬
tional debt crisis. Control of the immense power of the global corpora¬
tions still presents the largest challenge at international levels of decision¬
making.
3. Rethinking economics
32. With modem communications, prices can be known immediately
all around the world. However, knowing the price of something does not
mean we know its value. To think that price equals value is a conven¬
tional economic fallacy. Price is only one specific way of looking at
value: the value in exchange. In a market economy price is based on
demand and supply, which are both being calculated on a very narrow,
short-term basis. Immaterial needs get no price; hence these needs are
often increased instead of being satisfied through consumption. Waste, in
which all material production ends, is usually disregarded. And since the
poor have little money, their needs get excluded. In measuring supply,
the market responds only to those costs which can be expressed in money.
Moreover, it is an advantage to producers to leave out those costs which
they do not pay for themselves, such as environmental degradation and
human disease that may result. As a consequence, a good deal of
environmental damage is being caused without entering “into the books”.
33. What we need, therefore, is first of all a new concept of value,
based not on money and exchange but rather on sustainability and use.
Humankind has failed to distinguish between growth and development.
While advocating “sustainable development” many people and groups in
fact often have found themselves promoting “growth”. Growth for
growth’s sake — the continued addition to what already is present — is
the strategy of the cancer cell. Growth for growth’s sake is increase in
size without control, without limit, in disregard for the system that
64 Signs of the Spirit
sustains it. It ultimately results in degradation and death. Development on
the other hand — like the strategy of the embryo — is getting the right
things in the right places in the right amounts at the right times with the
right relationships. Development, while supported both by growth and
reduction of its parts, results in a self-sustaining whole. Development of
the earth by human beings, if accomplished in a manner similar to
development of the human body, maintains a balance among all parts of
the whole. What is “just” and “right”, then, must be found in social,
biological and physical relationships involving humanity and earth. True
development, as opposed to simple growth, focuses on the eco-system
level.
34. It is necessary, then, to correct prices in such a way that they take
into account the need to maintain the ecological functions which nature is
offering humankind. For example, those living in wealthy nations would
have to pay far more for the use of exhaustible energy resources. It should
be noted that particularly energy prices, prices of raw materials and
agricultural prices are already subject to effective manipulation. The
means of public manipulation of prices should be used to reflect both
ecological requirements and the need for distributive justice. The chur¬
ches in the European Community, for example, should press for a radical
change in the Community’s agricultural policy, detrimental as this policy
presently is to both the environment and African, Asian and Latin
American farmers. The practice of the USA to dump their agricultural
surplus in developing countries should also be vigorously opposed.
4. The United Nations human rights framework
35. The world is well aware of the existence of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights. Although the judicial mechanisms for the
implementation of these rights are still very weak, their formulation does
serve as a moral standard for the way in which governments and other
institutions as well as individuals should treat their fellow human beings.
36. Children form a full and integral part of humankind. We have to
recognize their rights and our human obligations towards the world they
will inherit. There is an urgent need to pursue the implementation of the
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. As Christians we also
emphasize our obligations towards future generations and our duty to
respect life already in its process of formation.
37. In working towards a universal declaration of human obligations
towards nature, we wish to combine our efforts with other NGOs as well
as governments and the United Nations. In June 1992 the second United
The Sub-themes 65
Nations Conference on Environment and Development will take place in
Brazil. In particular, it will present a plan for an “earth charter”. Such a
document would comprise an international agreement regarding the
obligations of governments to respect the inherent value of the global
environment and the obligations towards future generations. In the
process leading to this charter, we feel the following points should be
stressed :
a) The chapter on governmental obligations should be supplemented
with a section on obligations of industrial and agricultural producers of
goods and services, with special reference to global corporations, as well
as a section on the responsibilities of consumers with regard to the
environmental effects of their behaviour.
b) Judicial mechanisms for the implementation of the charter should
be established at an international level, at continental levels, as well as at
national and regional levels. When states commit ecological crimes these
should be brought to international attention, concern and action.
c) In order to utilize the value of the charter as a moral code of
conduct, an international organization might be founded, comparable to
Amnesty International, whose purpose would be to expose any violations
of the charter while mobilizing international shame. We should also like
to stress the importance of collective consumers’ actions as a way of
enforcing ecologically justified behaviour for producers. Countervailing
consumers’ action might also be a means of combatting the power of
advertising in its appeal to human greed.
5. Democracy and good government
38. With the collapse of the centralized command economies, it
would be a fallacy to think the problem of a just and responsible society
had found its solution in the combination of a free-market economy with
parliamentary democracy. Of the many reforms necessary in national
political and economic systems, we mention the struggle for more
participation in political and economic decision-making and the need for
good government.
39. Without political and economic democracy there will be no
respect for creation. If the people who live closest to the earth cannot
participate in the power structures of society, how can we expect
ecologically responsible decisions ?
40. Democracy should go together with good government. This
requires a system of administration that is both functioning properly and
good for its own people. Unfortunately in many parts of our world we are
66 Signs of the Spirit
still confronted with bad government, in two senses of the word:
incapability and corruption.
41. The limits to bureaucratic control have become clearly visible.
Legislation can reach its aims only if it has a place in a wide process of
social change while being applied through an adequately functioning legal
system. In many countries much more could be done to promote the
effectiveness and democratic character of governmental control.
42. Governments should do everything to encourage ecologically
responsible economic behaviour. Ecological crimes should be investi¬
gated, prosecuted, and punished. The apparent impunity of ecologically
criminal acts in many parts of the world is a matter of great concern.
6. Conscientization, education and spirituality
43. We need a spirituality that connects our lives to past, present and
future, and to God who sustains it all. With a spirituality based on global
interdependence we can recognize the unity of all creation. With a
spirituality based on empowered local communities we can have courage
and hope to take direct action in the face of overwhelming obstacles that
seek to tell us we cannot make a difference. With a spirituality that is as
prevalent as today’s mass media, we can protest against the influences
that seek to define all of us as exploiting, acquisitive, human-centred
creatures. A sustainable spirituality will give us the strength to make the
changes necessary to save life on our planet as we know it. Only a
concern for the well-being of the planet will bring the nations of the world
into a global community based on peace. Only the recognition on a
worldwide scale of the oneness of creation can provide the critical global
consciousness necessary to chart a new course for a sustainable future.
44. Through such a spirituality we can educate ourselves, each other
and our children in the new ecological values and responsibilities. This
education will have to take place at many levels: families, school, the
church, places of work, etc. The universal declaration of human obliga¬
tions towards nature might serve as a basis for public education.
45. The learning process is not just a matter of books. Learning comes
through watching and thinking and making the most of every given
opportunity that comes our way.
46. There is an urgent need today for a new type of mission, not into
foreign lands but into “foreign” structures. By this term we mean
economic, social and political structures which do not at all conform to
Christian moral standards. Naturally, we are aware of the corrupting
tendencies of power which often transform anyone who participates in
The Sub-themes 67
power structures into part of the problem rather than of the solution. It is
for this reason that the churches have to make a great and continuous
effort in morally equipping their people for their missionary work in the
foreign structures of our time.
III. The church: covenanting for the life of all creation
47. The crisis presented by the brokenness of the whole community of
life challenges the churches to renew their commitment to justice, peace
and the integrity of creation. Churches have the responsibility to translate
this commitment in concrete and practical terms.
48. But first we need to confess that we — as a community drawn
together by the Holy Spirit — have failed to recognize and therefore
fulfill our human responsibility towards creation. Christian teaching and
practice, based on misinterpretation of scripture, have reinforced systems
and structures of power that deny life. These should be examined and
clarified.
49. The church is a sign of “new creation” in Christ, redeemed from
brokenness to wholeness, from death to life. As a redeemed community,
the church has a crucial role in the renewal of creation. It is the church’s
prophetic task and the church is called upon to respond with faith,
courage and hope.
50. The power of the Holy Spirit enables the church to be a life-
giving, healing and sustaining community where the wounded and the
broken derive wholeness and renewal. This empowerment provides
opportunities to explore just and sustainable social and economic arrange¬
ments and to discover creative, contextually relevant ways to fulfill this
responsibility.
51. A critical examination of the church’s faith, polity and structures
may be necessary if the spiritual and organizational resources of the
church should meet human and ecological needs. This implies a redirec¬
tion of church policies, priorities and programmes.
52. The understanding of creation theology and of an ethic of
economy and ecology should be reflected in the life and work of the
church, through its study of the Bible, its teachings, hymns, liturgies,
prayers, the institution of the sacraments and through its witness.
53. The task of renewal requires a continuing discernment of God’s
creative activity in the world, Christ’s redemptive act, and the empower¬
ment of the Holy Spirit that enables us to be faithful.
54. To this end we call upon the WCC member churches all over the
world to take urgent action as follows :
68 Signs of the Spirit
Life and worship
55. Reflect on and review our own internal structures, doctrines,
policies and practices which affect the environment and influence our
behaviour towards the creation.
56. Encourage churches and local congregations to manifest this
commitment through worship, particularly in the celebration of the
sacraments. For instance, baptism and the eucharist, as a celebration of
God’s redeeming activity, bring together the elements of the created
world. This sacramental perspective should influence our attitude towards
creation.
57. Assist people at the congregational level to make choices within
their reach, to change life-styles, and to offer alternative patterns of living
such as the Gandhian approach. Another recommendation would be to
help reduce use of energy and finding alternative forms of energy,
recycling waste, etc. in industrialized societies. The Gwatt report on “The
Churches’ Role in Protecting the Earth’s Atmosphere’’ (1991, p.25)
provides further concrete possibilities for action.
Education
58. Reflect concern for the creation in the ecumenical calendar. The
WCC should initiate a global decade for justice, peace and the integrity of
creation, observed through an annual ten-day celebration, a time of
prayer, reflection and action by all member churches.
59. Develop a new understanding of creation theology for all aspects
of our churches’ life which:
— addresses the tensions within the churches’ order, i.e. gender, age,
race, class, differences in physical abilities, etc.;
— draws upon the special gifts and learns from the value systems of
those suffering from oppression;
— resists, through courage, power, commitment and reflection in the
Holy Spirit, those forces and pressures which are harmful to people
and destruction of nature;
— supports those that are already engaged in the process of renewal of
the creation;
— draws upon our own cultures, traditions and local situations;
— pursues questions of the gospel’s relationship to cultures.
60. Develop and implement educational programmes (information,
education and communication), both in churches and in other com¬
munities, on issues related to environmental and ecological concerns.
This should include the matter of responsible stewardship of human
The Sub-themes 69
fertility and should lead to an appreciation of and reverence for creation.
61. Study, reflect upon and address with sensitivity, ethical issues
concerning bio-technology (including genetic engineering), prolonging of
life, euthanasia, surrogate motherhood, etc.
Advocacy
62. Continue the Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation process
as a framework for study and action on these issues. This should be part
of a global ecumenical movement towards reordering our personal and
corporate life-styles, our relationships with nature and the ecological
reorientation of our overall economic system. For continuing the JPIC
process in these ways the WCC should be a centre of exchange in which
initiatives and contributions of member churches are shared and brought
together.
63. Send a delegation composed of church representatives from the
eight regions of the world to attend the United Nations Conference on
Environment and Development (UNCED), to be held in June 1992 in Rio
de Janeiro, Brazil. It is the first time since 1972 that such a world
conference is being held to discuss, on a global level, the burning
environmental issues of today, including the preparation of a convention
on protection of global climate, and the link between environment and
international trade. Work together with world religions in designing a
common process towards UNCED, and in drawing up a universal declara¬
tion of human obligations towards nature. Such a universal declaration
would acknowledge that human beings are part of creation as a whole and
that we have an obligation to be instruments of God’s design for creation.
64. Act together in defence of life. Facilitate and encourage the
participation of people against the powers of oppression and destruction.
Build a network of churches and Christians to facilitate exchange,
cooperation, and appropriate collective action in the fields of ecology and
economy.
65. Renew study of the international economic order including the
need for new conceptual models based on cooperation, not on competi¬
tion. Pursue initiatives to relieve those countries which continue to suffer
from their critically heavy debt burdens. Highlight the plight of poor
women and children who are always hit the hardest.
66. Urge the concerned member churches in the South and in the
North to address and develop coordinated action on problems of sex
tourism, nuclear testing, toxic-waste dumping, global warming, fishing,
mining, etc. ; to make their members aware of the dire consequences of
70 Signs of the Spirit
these practices; to dialogue with their governments and concerned cor¬
porations to stop such actions ; and to influence appropriate legislation for
the protection of the environment and of human life.
67. Campaign against the militarization of regions (such as the
Pacific) for the protection of human life and for the preservation of the
environment. On the international level, campaign for the abolition of the
institution of war.
Redirection of programmes
68. Develop programmes to combat environmental degradation which
include concerns about creation, economy and development, and estab¬
lish plans of action at the regional and global levels.
69. Address the issue of science and technology in order to work
towards the development of technology which is suitable and appropriate
to the needs of the majority of the people, particularly of poor women and
children, the carriers of wood and water all over the world.
70. Give continued attention to the relationship of faith, science and
technology, exploring possibilities for continuing consultation involving
scientists, theologians and others.
The following recommendations concerning particular regions were
also made:
71. The Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC) is urged:
a) to include on the agenda of the next PCC assembly, discussion of a
training programme dealing with the ecumenical vision of a new
understanding of creation;
b) to pay special attention to the environmental concerns of smaller
island churches, e.g. Marshalls and Carolines;
c) to assure the proportional representation of women and youth at the
PCC level, so that their views and concerns on the care for creation
may be adequately reflected.
72. The Canadian and US member churches are urged:
a) to jointly focus attention on common environmental agenda and
mutual concerns, e.g. acid rain, concerns of indigenous peoples,
sustainability in agriculture, etc. ;
b) to work with other living faiths in addressing environmental concerns
in the region.
73. The European member churches are urged:
a) to call upon the WCC to endorse the report of the ecumenical
consultation of churches on “The Churches’ Role in Protecting the
Earth’s Atmosphere” (Gwatt, Switzerland, 1991), as a basis for
The Sub-themes 71
opening a dialogue with the Commission of the European Community
on global environmental and ecological issues ;
b) to listen to the voices of African, Asian and Pacific churches regard¬
ing the poisonous effects of nuclear waste disposal in their countries,
and to take action to dispose of this waste within Europe ;
c) to affirm the need to take joint action to address the environmental
concerns in the whole of Europe.
* * *
PLENARY DISCUSSION
Bishop Anastasios of Androuss a (Eastern Orthodox, Greece): Para.
17: It is preferable to say that our vision remains the biblical vision,
though we can also learn from the religious experience of humanity.
Para. 57 : Reference should be made to the rich ascetic tradition of the
Eastern churches, a tradition valuable not only for monks but also lay
people.
Dr Emmanuel Klapsis (Eastern Orthodox, USA): The report needs
more emphasis on the problem of individualism. It should also stress that
only God can turn the JPIC vision into reality, overcoming the sin to
which all human initiatives are subject.
Frau Ursula Urban (United, Germany): The JPIC process must
continue. Para. 62: The WCC should set up an office with adequate staff
to coordinate work on JPIC.
Prof. Vlasios Pheidas (Eastern Orthodox, Greece): There is no
ecclesiological perspective in the introductory section. The intimate link
between church, Spirit and Christ is missing.
Bishop Herbert Chilstrom (Lutheran, USA): Para. 19: Even if we
fulfilled all mandates outlined in this report, we would still be living
with brokenness. Our fulfilment is beyond the present order of
creation.
Bischof Sigisbert Kraft (Old Catholic, Germany): Mention should be
made of ecclesiological damage resulting from the war in the Gulf. It is a
sin against the Holy Spirit.
Dr Matthias Sens (United, Germany): The report refers to the duality
of justice and integrity of creation, but peace is not taken fully into
account. The Gulf war shows that the three must be held together.
72 Signs of the Spirit
Bischof Walter Klaiber (Methodist, Germany): Para. 16: We are
called to ease sufferings, but only God can overcome them. Our hope
must be seen in eschatological perspective.
Dr Constance Parvey (Lutheran, USA): Para. 47: The crisis men¬
tioned is also a challenge to us and a call to overcome our brokenness in
unity.
Dr Mary Tanner (Anglican, England): The report lacks an
eschatological dimension and an emphasis on the search for the visible
unity of the church. Without the latter, JPIC and church unity will not be
brought together.
Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Peristerion (Eastern Orthodox,
Greece): Para. 14: Must stress our responsibility to Christianize other
traditions. Throughout, the perspective is more anthropocentric than
Christocentric or theocentric. The emphasis should be on humans as co¬
creators to whom God has given specific responsibilities for creation.
Prof. Angus Holland (Presbyterian, South Africa): Para. 20: “Con¬
sumerism” can mean “the interests of consumers”. What is meant here is
excessive consumption.
Ms Pauline Edgar (Friends, USA): Para. 67: Opposition to militar¬
ism needs a theological basis. Reference should also be made in the report
to over-population.
Mme Cecile Souchon (Reformed, France) : We must unite our efforts
on behalf of creation with those of people of other faiths.
Dr Thomas Dipko (United, USA): Churches in the North Atlantic
have appropriated materialism and other ideologies of their culture. This
is syncretism and should be condemned.
Dr Hans-Gernot Jung (United, Germany) : JPIC is a spiritual process
of repentance and conversion. Confession of Jesus Christ must be at the
heart of the process.
Archimandrite Theofilos Giannopoulos (Eastern Orthodox,
Jerusalem): A theology of creation must stress that Christ is the new
person through whom creation was delivered for anthropotis.
The Sub-themes 73
3.3. REPORT OF SECTION II :
“SPIRIT OF TRUTH - SET US FREE !”
I. Theological perspective
1. “For freedom Christ has set us free,... For you are called to
freedom, brothers and sisters...” (Gal. 5:1,13).
The, freedom we enjoy as a gift of the Spirit is a personal word. It is a
word that frees from the power of sin, death and evil. But freedom is
more than a personal word, it is not merely internal, individualistic,
“spiritual”, other-worldly freedom. It is a freedom we are also called to
experience in a material, this-worldly and communal sense. We, as
people who experience the freedom of the Spirit, are called to break down
the barriers which make people un-free. This Spirit of freedom lays upon
us the task which Jesus himself accepted as a consequence of the Spirit
coming upon him.
We, as people who have received the gift of freedom and who have
received this calling to be free, cannot cease to struggle for the release of
those who are captive to sin and to unjust social and economic systems.
We cannot cease to address physical ill-health or spiritual blindness in our
world. We are called to be in solidarity with the oppressed in their
struggle for liberation. Thus, by the force of the Holy Spirit, Christian
churches give witness of the gospel of Jesus Christ almost everywhere in
the world — North and South, East and West — in spite of the diversities
which characterize our societies (Eph. 4:1-6). The churches live the gift
of unity and are called to practise their freedom transcending human
barriers. In this sense, this worldwide fellowship of churches manifests
the life of the Spirit by sharing among ourselves our expectations and
anxieties, our visions and struggles (1 Cor. 12:26). Therefore, churches
seek each other and care for each other, sharing our vocation to be free in
the fulfilment of God’s mission.
2. “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth”
(John 16:13a).
The Spirit of truth re-establishes and restores the integrity of the
human person and human communities. As Christians and as churches,
we constantly experience the danger of becoming captives to the systems
and structures of the world. They are the principalities and authorities,
“the cosmic forces of darkness, the spiritual forces of evil” (Eph. 6:12),
which induce all human beings to be tempted to do injustice to others. By
the spirit we know the truth, and the truth makes us free (John 8:32).
74 Signs of the Spirit
Therefore, we are no longer captives of systems which oppress and
enslave. We are free to give witness of the justice of the kingdom of God,
resisting unjust dominations, be they economic or political, cultural or
social, of gender or race. Furthermore, we are all free to strive for the
building up of just societies, both domestic and international. The force of
the Spirit moves us to have an ecumenical concern in the struggle for
justice and peace.
3. "... For in hope we are saved. Now hope that is seen is no hope.
For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see,
we wait for it with patience” (Rom. 8:22-25). We who live in the Spirit
are living by hope. In spite of the seemingly gloomy picture of the world,
we are not moved to despair. We believe that the force of the Spirit of
truth is at work in history, opening new paths to humanity. The future,
which the powers of this world strive to shape and close over and over
again, is permanently opened by the force of the Spirit. Christians and
churches who receive this gift and are called to live in it, have to witness
this reality, affirmed in our faith.
II. Issues and recommendations
Issue one : The challenge to be free in order to struggle
Both as individuals and as churches we have often forgotten our
communal vocation and task to render an authentic witness to the gospel.
This is true, in particular, wherever the work of the Holy Spirit has been
limited to an exclusively internal and personal experience. It is important,
therefore, to be reminded that the Spirit of truth, in bearing witness to
Jesus Christ, will convince the world about sin, righteousness and
judgment (John 16:8). Wherever the Spirit is at work, people are being
drawn into painful and costly but, at the same time, liberating processes
of conversion.
The Spirit frees us from captivities of mind and body, making us
members of God’s family, engaging us to struggle individually and
collectively against the power structures of this world which claim
absolute obedience. Even in the midst of poverty and suffering, violence
and marginalization, the Spirit opens our eyes to confront the contradic¬
tions within reality and thus engages us in the struggle for full liberation.
It is the Spirit of truth who unmasks the myths which are being used to
legitimize oppressive power structures.
While obliging us to face the contradictions and engaging us in the
struggle, the same Spirit releases the energies that are being held down by
conformity and passivity, by silent submission and brutal oppression.
The Sub-themes 75
Both as individuals and as churches, we must recognize our
responsibilities for the divisions in the church and in the world and
follow the path of repentance. The biblical terms for repentance, te’
shuvah and metanoia , mean a radical change of mind and transforma¬
tion. Repentance is the way leading to reconciliation, sanctification and
salvation in Christ.
Our unity must be based on the realization that “so many of us as were
baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death” (Rom. 6:3). Our
commitment as Christians is to see Christ in the other person for whom
Christ died. Through the help of the Holy Spirit, we must share the
suffering of others.
The collective, corporal or communal indicates a unique, direct,
personal relationship with the Holy Spirit and opens new dimensions in
our struggle for wholeness. The wholeness must include the differently-
abled and people of all ages who bring special gifts to the community.
This internal liberation by the Spirit empowers us to understand the world
from the perspective of the vulnerable. We are empowered for our option
for the poor.
Recommendations
1. The WCC should encourage spirituality and unity among member
churches in addition to cooperating with people of other faiths in our
common struggle for liberation. Spirituality in unity should be held
together with issues of justice, peace and integrity of creation in the
programmes of the WCC. This means also hearing the voices of the
Pentecostal churches.
2. The WCC should establish a laity department which will, through its
programmes, empower people for leadership and ecumenism.
3. The WCC and its member churches should:
a) engage in dialogue with those in power at all levels — whether
local or international — on the issues of justice, peace and the
integrity of creation (JPIC) ;
b) support Christians engaged in working on JPIC ;
c) build communities of justice recognizing the role of monastic and
faith communities.
4. We recommend that the churches be aware of the gifts of the
differently-abled who are often forced to the fringes of our societies
and churches. Their full participation must be ensured.
5. We encourage Christ’s people to emulate the spirit and example of our
Lord Jesus Christ (Phil. 2:6-1 1). In obedience to Jesus Christ we are
76 Signs of the Spirit
called to re-examine and repent of attitudes, practices and structures
which reduce or prevent the liberating influence of the Spirit.
6. We urge the Christian community to seek out and engage those within
and without the churches who are struggling to be free from oppres¬
sion, despair and destruction.
Issue two : The challenge to evolve a sustainable value system
Through the six preceding assemblies, the World Council of Churches
has called the attention of its member churches and the public at large to
serious contradictions and imbalances prevailing in the world economic
system. Established structures continue to prevent the economic growth
and social justice of the poor and exploited peoples and nations. It is
necessary to build a new international economic order. Since the first
assembly, the WCC has repeatedly emphasized that there is an urgent
need to review the existing world economic order and, in particular, the
economic mechanisms that were created at Bretton Woods, USA, in
1944-45 — the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the International
Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD, most commonly
known as the World Bank) and the later General Agreement on Tariffs
and Trade (GATT) — which are dominated by powerful industrialized
countries and are unaccountable to any international authority in which all
nations are involved. Such a review should lead to more accountable and
just economic and monetary structures within the jurisdiction of the
United Nations and of the International Court of Justice.
Furthermore, the conciliar process aimed at Justice, Peace and the
Integrity of Creation confirmed the assessment that prevailing models of
economic growth and world trade, as they are controlled globally by
transnational corporations, do not create conditions for a sustainable
society. Rather, they destroy the ecological systems of the world
through environmental destruction and the excessive exploitation of the
resources of poor nations and indigenous lands, provoking massive
migrations as well as causing wars through human greed to control
natural resources.
In this economic system, a disproportionate burden is placed on
women, particularly on poor, peasant, working and indigenous women.
Markets have existed and do exist in all societies and cultures. In most
cases a market is a lively and human place. However, modem interna¬
tional markets have been perverted by interests and powers which have
gained control of the market mechanisms causing injustice and unsus¬
tainability. The values that prevail in this market penetrate into all
The Sub-themes 77
societies creating the impression that a global market system is being
shaped as a totality. However, many are excluded from this system.
There are also many who pay high social costs in order to keep the system
functioning in their countries. For such people, the demands of the market
are unbearable. Low salaries and unemployment force many men and
women, excluded from the benefits of the “legitimate” market, to seek
survival through “underground economies” of which the drug trade and
arms trade are main manifestations. While we see in these desperate
situations creative efforts to develop models for alternative economies,
the so-called “wealth of nations” is merely the wealth of a minority in the
world. In order for the “free market” to function effectively, basic human
rights are being violated and the plight of the poor grows worse every
day.
The structure of the present economic order and the shape of the
international markets are closely linked to the ongoing debt crisis. Its
development since the end of the 1970s has meant the impoverishment
of the most indebted nations of Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin
America and the Pacific. In spite of efforts to follow the economic
readjustments prescribed by the IMF and the World Bank, their
economies do not improve. In order to pay the service of the debt,
salaries lose their real value, and the necessary investments needed to
preserve the quality of public utilities are not made. This, in turn, means
that the quality of people’s lives, especially of the poor, is deteriorating.
At the same time, the debt crisis is already threatening the prospects of
the former “socialist” nations of Eastern Europe and introducing
tensions, financial instability and economic recession in North America,
Western Europe and Japan. Furthermore, the corruption which unfortu¬
nately exists at some levels of government in some countries has
compounded the problems of the poor.
What can the WCC and the churches do? The problems are so serious
that the temptation to give up our prophetic responsibilities is sometimes
very strong. But the gift of freedom, the force of the Holy Spirit that
allows us to live in hope is once again calling the WCC and its member
churches to share their energies and resources with the victims of this
system, whose critical reformulation must be one of our priorities.
As Christians we seek a world of social and economic justice. This
includes the empowerment of the victims of injustice and their inclusion
in decision-making, respect and care for those who are vulnerable,
oppressed and dispossessed, as well as the nurture of the environment.
The networks of concern that churches and Christian communities can
78 Signs of the Spirit
build together and with other organizations can play a positive role in this
process.
After the economic system of the so-called “socialist” countries
plunged into deep crisis, many hopes were expressed about the system of
the free-market economy. But it appeared that the free-market economy is
also unable to adjust to the new world economic order without new social
and ecological institutions.
In some instances, it will be necessary to reinforce the authority of
intergovernmental organizations which can speak on behalf of the major¬
ity of people such as the United Nations Organizations and the Interna¬
tional Court of Justice. In other cases, churches must remind all the
authorities of the nation states that they are called to serve people’s needs
and expectations, rather than attend to the economic readjustments
required by those who manage the “free-market system”. Furthermore,
churches must recognize the increasing importance of the “civil
societies”, those non-governmental public organizations which express
the interests and concerns of the people. It is in the “civil societies” that
the energy of people aimed at greater emancipation and justice emerges.
Churches belong to this “civil society” in the large majority of nations.
They must put part of their resources towards the growth, development,
empowerment and consolidation of these societies. This will reinforce
possibilities for the exercise of democracy and fairness in socio-economic
and political relationships.
Furthermore, taking into consideration the global character of the
world’s economy at present, as well as the role played by interna¬
tional networks such as Amnesty International and Greenpeace in
fostering the cause of human rights and ecological preservation, the
WCC and its member churches should join forces with such organiza¬
tions at the domestic and international levels in order to monitor,
from the people’s perspective, economic developments as they
emerge.
Part of our task is the education of people to raise their consciousness
about the world economic and political situation in order to provide them
with the tools to practise freedom and justice. As part of this process, in
Germany, Switzerland, the Philippines, Brazil and some other countries,
churches have taken initiatives to support the victims of the international
debt crisis in accord with various positions enunciated by the WCC on
different occasions (for example, at the central committee meeting in
Buenos Aires in 1985). These initiatives should be followed by other
churches.
The Sub-themes 79
Recommendations
1. The WCC welcomes the initiatives taken by the Swiss Protestant
Church Federation, the National Council of Christian Churches in
Brazil, the Evangelical Church in Germany and other ecclesiastical as
well as ecumenical bodies, which have requested the WCC to start a
study and action programme around the international debt crisis.
2. The WCC and its member churches should support the “Foreign Debt
and the Drug Trade: Declaration of Kingston” that reiterates the
immorality and illegitimacy of the external debt imposed as “tribute”
that burdens the major sector of the people of the world.
3. The WCC and its member churches should follow critically the
notions of the UN and the International Court of Justice in order to
monitor more effectively current economic developments.
4. The WCC and its member churches are called to draw world attention
to the plight and victimization of millions of youth and women who
are denied employment and the possibilty of a life of dignity by the
unjust international economic system.
5. The WCC and its member churches should give support to networks of
organizations of the “civil society”, both at the national and interna¬
tional levels, aiming at the progress of social and economic justice.
6. The WCC and its member churches should join with and provide
resources for efforts to organize people’s energies for the affirmation
of sustainable value systems.
7. The WCC is called to serve as a catalyst for churches and groups in
search of sustainable value systems and to facilitate their work through
networking and other appropriate means.
Issue three : The challenge to work for racial justice
Racism is one of the terrible sins of humankind. It is not only personal
prejudice, but is embodied in the structures and institutions of society.
When members of one race or group seek to dominate those of another,
they are not truly free but are enslaved by their own fear and desire for
control. Being oppressed and being an oppressor are both spiritually
disabling. We affirm the need for individual repentance of this sin, and
also for concrete changes in structural and institutional racism.
Wars, famine, drought and other disasters have created a growing
population of refugees, displaced persons and asylum-seekers who must
find new homes. They often face racism in the form of unfair immigration
and employment practices. Immigration policies, especially in the emerg¬
ing new Europe, must be carefully monitored. Our member churches all
80 Signs of the Spirit
over the world must be alert to the potential dangers of increased racial
tension as the result of the current massive migrations of people. This is
especially true where European migrants are encouraged to emigrate to
countries where there is already a large, underemployed population.
Women experience the worst consequences of racial, caste and
economic violence. Displaced women and children experience double
discrimination under racism since they are particularly vulnerable to
exploitation. Women are often driven to prostitution in order to support
their families, and children are abandoned on the streets to fend for
themselves. During the Ecumenical Decade of the Churches in Solidarity
with Women, we call on the churches to lift up the concerns of the women
suffering under racism and caste-ism specifically and plan intentional
programmes to enhance the participation and contribution of these mar¬
ginalized groups.
We note the discrimination against the dalits in India who are
struggling for dignity, equality, freedom and humane living conditions,
both at the church and government levels.
Ethnicity, as it is emerging in Europe, is another major challenge to
the churches. Often ethnic groups are defined by their religion as well as
by their language and origin. Many of them are deprived of their basic
human rights. Christendom runs the risk of being a divisive rather than a
unifying force within the new political realities that are emerging. That
makes it more urgent to be aware of our calling to unity as well as to
continue our dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church. It should be of
great concern to churches and Christians that anti-semitism, believed to
have been overcome for good, is again surging in several European
countries.
We recognize that there are disturbing undercurrents of racism in the
present conflicts in the Middle East between Christians and members of
other faiths. We also recognize the disproportionately high numbers of
young black and hispanic Americans who are under arms in the Gulf
region. There are similar undercurrents of racism in many other regions of
conflict in the world, particularly in Central America.
At this assembly meeting in Australia, we are particularly conscious
of the struggles of our Aboriginal brothers and sisters for a recognition of
their history, their culture, their spirituality and their land rights. We
recognize the resistance of many indigenous people against extermination
and the denigration of their culture and the continued appropriation and
exploitation of their traditional homelands. We are with them in their
struggles. We are also aware of issues of indigenous rights in the
The Sub-themes 81
Americas and elsewhere in the world. In particular, we call on the various
levels of governments of the United States, Canada, and Central and
Latin America to address the pressing issues facing their indigenous
people with fairness and equity. We call on the churches of the United
States and Canada to repent of their complicity in the exploitation of the
indigenous peoples in the past and to work towards reconciliation and
mutual liberation through concrete action.
The 12th of October 1492 marked the beginning of 500 years of racial
oppression and environmental destruction in the Americas. It also marked
the starting point of the decimation of Africa through the slave trade
which was an integral part of the exploitation of the Americas’ lands and
resources. This process enriched and made powerful European nations
and churches and funded the colonization of other parts of the world by
the same nations and churches.
We urge churches around the world to use the occasion of the
500th anniversary of the arrival of Columbus in the Americas to hold
up to the world the oppression of the indigenous peoples on that
continent. It is also an appropriate time to remember Africans and
Asians of the diaspora, and the mestizos and mulattos created by the
conquerors and conquered in North, Central and South America, and
the Caribbean. We further urge that it be a time for sober reflection,
reparation and commitment to combat the bitter legacies of imperial¬
ism and colonialism, including racism. Of particular concern must be
the racism practised in the Dominican Republic where the 1992
celebrations are scheduled to begin in the Americas. There the only
people officially identified as Black are the oppressed (and enslaved)
Haitian sugar workers, most of whom live in the “batayes” in
inhumane conditions, while all other Blacks are categorized as In¬
dians.
We recognize that many came and continue to come to North and
South America as refugees from political, religious and economic repres¬
sion in other places in the world. While these people and their descen¬
dants should join with others in acknowledging the negative aspects of
colonization, there is also legitimate reason for them to give thanks for the
new freedoms they have found in many nations.
Caste-ism and other racism within the church must be fought. We
must be constantly mindful that racism is deeply rooted in the hearts of
many who consider themselves to be Christian all over the world. They
need to hear the liberating voice of the Spirit calling them to embrace
their sisters and brothers in love and in the spirit of justice.
82 Signs of the Spirit
Recommendations
1. We support affirmation III of the WCC convocation on “Justice,
Peace and the Integrity of Creation” held in Seoul in 1990, and we
affirm the fourth concretization of the Act of Covenant of this
conference.
2. There should be a staff person in the WCC drawn from an indigenous
community, whose special concern will be the issues surrounding
indigenous peoples. Further, adequate representations of indigenous
peoples should be ensured in the central committee, in all commis¬
sions and working groups of the WCC.
3 . We affirm the work of the WCC on racism and we urge that it continue
to be a priority issue in all WCC programmes and recommend that the
programme be strengthened by ensuring adequate women staff and
funding for it.
4. We recommend that the programme of Women under Racism be fully
incorporated in the Decade of the Churches in Solidarity with Women
and that an international gathering of women under racism and caste-
ism be organized as a major contribution to the Decade.
5. We recommend that the Programme to Combat Racism (PCR) take
responsibility for issues of ethnicity as well as racism.
6. We recommend that racism and its impact become a subject of
theological education in seminaries as well as in the WCC’s PETE-
Bossey Programme. Churches should be encouraged to implement
Christian education programmes which teach people to fight against
racism.
7. We recommend that in view of the activities in connection with the
500th anniversary of Columbus’s arrival in America, the WCC:
a) begin a dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church as well as other
churches in Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America with a view
to acknowledging our complicity in the evils of colonization ;
b) call upon the churches to repudiate the 1992 celebrations of
500 years of colonization, and instead lend their support to the
activities of the indigenous peoples surrounding that event;
c) invite all churches, including the Roman Catholic Church, to
confession and repentance for the subjugation and exploitation of
the indigenous peoples. We recommend that ethnicity as it exists
in some parts of Africa and Asia be addressed by the WCC as an
urgent socio-political problem.
8. We recommend that member churches be encouraged to study and
implement suggested actions regarding racism from the Darwin decla-
The Sub-themes 83
ration (PCR consultation, Darwin, 1989) and the report from the 1989
world mission conference in San Antonio.
Issue four : The challenge of communication for liberation
Communication is prophetic. We need to communicate to serve the
cause of justice, peace and the integrity of creation. Communication, in
the light of the Spirit, supports and sustains the building of a community
of justice, and equips us to challenge the powers that are opposed to the
Spirit of truth.
We are enjoined by Christ to love one another. When we communi¬
cate with one another, we must do so in love. We must speak to where our
sisters or brothers are. We must listen to hear what is truly being said to
us, not what we want to hear. Interpersonal communication is a two-way
process. In this way, all members of the community can fully exercise
their human rights and participate in decisions that are made.
Print and electronic media can wield such power. Means of communi¬
cation are powerful tools of hidden control. Often, as in the present
military situation in the Gulf, governments, even the governments of the
Northern democracies, control what the media can communicate. The
truth is not told and we cannot exercise free judgment. More insidiously,
where the market controls what is said in the media, the dominant culture
controls, by popular demand, what is written or produced by the media.
We must seek ways to educate our people to be discerning listeners,
viewers and readers in the context of education for the laity.
The mass media are a means of cultural imperialism where the life¬
style of the North Atlantic countries and Japan is seen to be the only one
possible. Wherever possible, indigenous radio and television should be
developed. People’s participation is a precondition for communication for
liberation and the fulfilment of human rights. We must ask questions
about whose information is passed on to whom. Should communication
technologies give a voice to the voiceless ?
In all countries, churches should monitor the influence of the media,
vigorously express their opposition when what is communicated distorts
the truth, reinforces negative stereotypes or sanctions violent behaviour,
and seek ways to influence the media. Individual Christians who work in
the communication system are urged to exercise their Christian witness in
the work place.
It is costly to produce programming of any quality, and our power to
influence government and commercial media will continue to be limited.
Therefore, we must find ways to ensure that our member churches have
84 Signs of the Spirit
access to non-censored information so that we can act. Only when we
are informed fairly about the situation can we be free to respond to
our sisters and brothers in need. Our member churches must ensure
that the messages are passed down to the members in ways that are
accessible and understandable to them. We must continue to tell the
stories of the people. Here interpersonal communication and the mass
media intersect. Our concern should be to help our people in their
prophetic mission.
Churches must draw attention to the fact that communication suffers
as people become mere consumers of all forms of media that increasingly
promote violence, pornography and obscenity. Communication for liber¬
ation is distorted when the media make people objects of propaganda. The
media add to the militarization of the culture. Children especially are the
victims of media that advertise violence. Communication and thus rela¬
tionships between human beings are destroyed by uncritical consumption
of the media.
Recommendations
1 . The WCC should renew the call for “A New World Information and
Communication Order”, and enable its member churches to participate
in its creation.
2. The WCC and the World Association for Christian Communication
should assist churches and communities in their struggle for the
communication of the truth.
3. Churches, where possible, should take advantage of means of mass
communication.
4. Churches must enable the powerless to express their demands for
justice and freedom in their own way, by providing support for
universal primary education.
5. Churches must speak out prophetically for the rights of the powerless,
regardless of whether the source of oppression be the church, state, or
any other institution.
6. Churches should help develop alternate means of communication such
as theatre, special liturgies and local, indigenous newspapers and
radio.
7. Churches should ensure that their representatives to ecumenical meet¬
ings include the disadvantaged.
8. Churches should organize boycotts of the products of those who
sponsor programmes that promote violence, sexism, racism, porno¬
graphy and obscenity.
The Sub-themes 85
9. Churches should promote media awareness training at all levels
particularly through lay training centres.
Issue five: The challenge for lasting peace and meaningful
SECURITY
Introduction
In over one hundred wars since 1945, a number of common patterns
can be observed. The wars are almost always in countries of the South
and usually against racially-oppressed groups. Women, youth and chil¬
dren suffer the most. An excessive proportion of those participating in the
fighting are also from oppressed groups and young people. This reflects
failure to provide alternate economic and educational opportunities for
their future.
The root causes of war include greed, materialism and consumerism
which lead to the accumulation of wealth and power in the hands of the
few and oppression for the majority.
Regional dimensions of lasting peace and meaningful security
The search for lasting peace and meaningful security presents dif¬
ferent challenges in the various regions of the world.
In Africa attention is focused on the massive poverty and dislocation
exacerbated by regional and civil wars — often fed by outside interven¬
tion or neglected by world opinion. For example, in Ethiopia, the Sudan
and Somalia and in Liberia, Angola and Mozambique, there is mass
starvation as the wars continue, heightening poverty and human misery as
well as perpetuating serious environmental degradation.
In Asia issues such as the presence of foreign bases, militarization, the
suppression of peoples’ movements and of democratic opposition require
continued attention. The continuing civil conflict in Sri Lanka and the
struggles for self-determination in Cambodia and Taiwan continue to
merit world attention.
The Caribbean suffers from its proximity to the USA — the hemi¬
spheric super-power with its economic domination and frequent military
interventions, and colonial control of Puerto Rico which is used as a
military enclave. The region is a victim of low-intensity conflict which
causes destabilization and economic dependency. In Central America,
low-intensity conflict, the war against the poor and the assault on
democratic movements is a continuing pattern.
In Europe, there are still people suffering from political, social and
religious instability, e.g. Albania, the Ukraine, Romania and Czechoslo-
86 Signs of the Spirit
vakia. Even after the Cold War, the vast number of weapons in place
indicates that the legacy of the East-West divide has still not been
overcome. There is an urgent need for nuclear and conventional disarma¬
ment. It is an alarming new sign that NATO is now considering out-of-
area operations. In addition, many new conflicts have emerged as the
straightjacket of the Cold War has been relaxed.
Latin America has largely been freed from the military dictatorships
of the 1970s and early 1980s but cannot provide meaningful economic
security for its people because of the crushing burden of the debt crisis. A
number of countries suffer from serious political instability.
The Middle East urgently requires an immediate cease-fire and the
establishment of a stable, politically-negotiated, comprehensive security
framework in which the rights of all people are preserved. This is the
urgent priority for the region. The Gulf war has dramatized the fragility of
this region. In particular the rights and security of the Palestinian people
need to be affirmed in the context of a comprehensive Middle East peace
process. This process could be promoted by holding an international
conference in which all the problems (Cyprus, Lebanon, Palestine, Israel
and the Gulf) could be dealt with.
The urgent issue for North America is whether the USA can abandon
its super-power role in favour of a domestic defence policy which is not
dominant and interventionist. Poverty and racism are rife.
The Pacific looks for international support for the legitimate struggle
for independence in the remaining colonies in the Pacific and in opposi¬
tion to French nuclear-bomb testing and US missiles and SDI (Star Wars)
tests in the Marshall Islands.
Instruments for lasting peace and meaningful security
1. The Amsterdam assembly of 1948 affirmed that “war is contrary to
the will of God”. Sharing this conviction, we urge the United Nations to
work towards a universal convention which would ban war as a means of
conflict resolution.
2. Our commitment to the United Nations (UN) and the strength¬
ening of its peace-making and conflict-resolution role need to be
reinforced. The jurisdiction of international law and the International
Court of Justice must be universally accepted. Existing international
agreements should be respected. All UN Security Council resolutions
should be implemented.
3. States should not establish military bases nor send troops into other
countries. Where these already exist, they should be withdrawn.
The Sub-themes 87
4. Peoples’ movements engaged in the struggle for human dignity and
liberation should be supported, and understanding of peoples’ security
should replace national security doctrines and low-intensity conflicts.
5. Conflict resolution and major aid efforts are required in Ethiopia,
the Sudan, Somalia, and other areas of regional conflict. Renewed
pressure for negotiated settlements between governments and liberation
movements in El Salvador and Guatemala is required.
6. Zones of peace should be created and developed (e.g. the Indian
Ocean, the Pacific, the Caribbean).
7. Regional security structures should be strengthened. Churches
should urge their governments to implement the Helsinki agreement in
Europe and encourage them to develop the Conference on Security and
Co-operation in Europe into an effective instrument for safeguarding
democracy, human rights and the peaceful resolution of conflicts. Effec¬
tive steps for nuclear and conventional disarmament as well as measures
for confidence-building should be taken.
8. Military budgets should be reduced to release funds for develop¬
ment and ecological protection. Development assistance should not
include a military component.
9. Deterrence by weapons of mass destruction should be rejected.
Nuclear weapons should be radically reduced and eliminated as quickly as
possible. In the meantime, intrusive verification measures should be
allowed by all governments. Therefore, defensive, non-threatening secu¬
rity systems and civilian-based defence should be developed.
10. Immediate and effective steps should be taken to end hunger and
starvation — and waste in other regions.
Further detailed recommendations based on the section of the Seoul
JPIC covenant on demilitarization have been referred to the Programme
Policy Committee. They concern registering and restricting arms trans¬
fers, conscientious objection and war taxes, denuclearization of the
world’s navies, elimination of chemical and biological weapons, and
support for the Non-Proliferation Treaty and a comprehensive test-ban
treaty.
Commitment of the churches
The churches should commit themselves to the affirmations of the
Seoul convocation. Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation should
continue to provide the orienting framework for church commitment to
peace and justice. The Seoul covenant, with its stress on protection of the
environment, alleviation of debts, demilitarization of international rela-
88 Signs of the Spirit
tions and the rejection of racism, provides four interlocking elements for
social involvement.
Recommendations to the churches
1. Regional solidarity in the peace work of the churches must be
strengthened. The member churches and the WCC should establish
ecumenical ministries for JPIC and shalom services as proposed by
the Swedish Ecumenical Council and others.
2. The preferential option for the poor should be the guiding principle of
the churches’ efforts in the defence of life and opposition to govern¬
mental economic and military policies which create or exacerbate
conflicts.
3. Lay training, leadership formation and ecumenical learning must be
strengthened as a key instrument to promote many WCC priorities,
especially JPIC.
4. Programmes of peace education should begin at an early age and
continue throughout life.
5. Help should be provided to the churches through appropriate channels
for understanding more deeply the connection between violence,
institutionalized racism and the oppression of women. Three of the
strongest roots of violence are oppression through race, sex and class.
6. Churches must reject the manufacturing of enemy images (particu¬
larly relating to Islam at present).
7. Churches must always serve as an example of peace-making, not least
by making peace between themselves.
8. Churches must resist the use of religion to cause or exacerbate
conflict. They must initiate the call for a new international treaty
prohibiting the testing of weapons delivery systems, including the
SDI programmes.
Recommendations for the WCC
1. The JPIC emphasis must be strengthened as a focus of WCC work.
2. The advocacy role of the WCC at the UN should be reinforced.
3. The WCC should establish the structural possibility of acting as an
intermediary between churches in conflict with each other. The WCC
hould take an active, reconciling role in situations where religion is a
factor in conflict.
4. The WCC should pay greater attention to intra-state conflicts and
press the UN and other relevant bodies also to do so. The WCC
The Sub-themes 89
should create an early warning system for the prevention of conflicts
or their detection in an early stage before large-scale violence is used.
5. The WCC must educate the churches in understanding the connection
between violence, institutional racism and the oppression of women.
6. The WCC should support regional “peace networks” and monitor
their coordination through an “exchange centre” in Geneva.
Issue six : Justice for women
Women in society
The Christian community affirms that God has called women and
men to live in relationship with each other, with one another, with
creation and with God. We recognize that there are major cultural
differences in such relationships around the world. There are also
differences between generations within the same society. Over against
these cultural and generational differences, however, we affirm that “in
Christ there is neither male nor female” (Gal. 3:28). We must strive to
free ourselves from the scourge of bias based on gender. Within our
Christian families, we must strive for equality of relationship and mutual
respect, a sharing of tasks and the acknowledgment that human sexuality
is a gift of God.
We reject all systems and relationships built on domination and
subjugation that shape economic, social, political, cultural and ecclesial
structures in which men wield power. These affect both men and women
since neither is free when the other is oppressed.
We are concerned about economic injustices to which women are
subjected and the feminization of poverty. The major factor that
contributes to it is the unjust global economic system exacerbated by the
current recession and increasing burden on debtor nations, which places
impossible demands on marginalized sections of society — particularly
on women. Women’s work is often unpaid and systematically under¬
valued and they have limited access to the centres of economic and
political power. This restricts their choices in work and in education.
Added to this, they experience sexual harassment and other forms of
intimidation in their places of work.
The church has a responsibility to ensure that adequate health care is
available to all women. New reproductive technologies and other family
planning programmes that affect women and their rights raise serious
ethical issues that the churches must help to resolve.
90 Signs of the Spirit
All forms of violence that women experience in society, even in the
privacy of their homes, need to be dealt with through adequate legal
safeguards and in the churches’ ministry. In nations where human rights
are violated, women face particular problems — such as the torture of
women prisoners. Women in many parts of the world have been affirming
and applying the power of non-violent forms of resistance within people’s
movements. This must be honoured and supported by the churches.
Men and women in many cultures traditionally feel compelled to
solve disputes by confrontation rather than by conciliation. When exer¬
cised by men, confrontation often leads to violence against women and
children in the home. Confrontation also often leads to armed combat.
The churches should take the lead in examining and affirming cultures
based on conciliatory models of caring and sharing.
Women in the church
In many of our churches, we need to come to an understanding of the
male-dominated systems and how they operate — how they affect both
men and women. In those systems men take power, define what power is
and who is to participate in it. They are systems from which both men and
women suffer since neither is free.
Sometimes language is used as a tool of domination. We propose to
recover holistic language that can be used, where appropriate, in the
liturgies of the churches. It is vital to educate people and clarify
misunderstandings regarding the role and place of women in church and
society in order to promote unity among men and women.
We affirm the role played by countless women throughout the world
in the service of the church. We urge that contributions made by women
in staff and volunteer positions be valued for what they are — the loving
service to God — equal to, though different from, other contributions.
In some confessions, the equality of women is seen in terms of
women’s ordination. We affirm the struggle of our sisters in their search
for ordination, but we recognize that ordination does not mean that in
these confessions women are no longer marginalized. Churches that are
not discussing the ordination of women must be respected. It must be
realized that women and men within those traditions are also dealing with
the women’s issue on the ministries and mission of women in church and
society.
The church must be a caring community that, through patience and
faithfulness, values and supports all its members. In Christ’s church, all
should be free to celebrate their life in him equally.
The Sub-themes 91
Recommendations
1. We call upon the WCC, within the framework of the Ecumenical
Decade of the Churches in Solidarity with Women, to convene a study
conference of leaders within the churches on the roles of and relation¬
ships between women and men in our communities.
2. We urge our member churches to use inclusive language and female
imagery to express the faith.
3. We encourage the WCC to continue and strengthen its study of
marriage and family, with special attention to new, emerging family
patterns.
4. We ask that the WCC undertake a study of the implications of the
new reproductive technologies for women and for society as a
whole.
5. We ask that special attention be paid to health issues as they relate to
women and children. We are particularly concerned about the produc¬
tion of banned birth control pills and the dumping of toxic wastes of
all kinds.
6. We must continue to support literacy programmes for women and
promote women’s education at all levels, including theological train¬
ing and leadership training.
7. We recommend the establishment, where they do not exist, of
ecumenical regional networks for women through which women’s
unique gifts can be shared.
8. While respecting theological perspectives that do not accept the
ordination of women in some traditions, we affirm that women's
participation in the ordained ministries should remain on the ecumeni¬
cal agenda.
9. We ask the WCC to organize a special study commission which will
do research on the existing differences in teaching and tradition
regarding women between the Orthodox and Protestant churches, as
well as the Roman Catholic Church.
III. Common themes
We brought to this assembly the presuppositions of our cultures and
traditions. We have found that, through the working of the Holy Spirit,
we have come to hear more clearly what others have been saying. This
has been made evident by the way that, in our work together, several
common themes have emerged.
92 Signs of the Spirit
1. Human rights
The underlying theme of this section is expressed in the comprehen¬
sive deliberations that took place on human rights. Human rights, or the
violation of them, is a fundamental element in each of the issues
discussed in this section: the rights of women and children, the rights of
minorities, peace with justice, economic justice and racism.
The advocacy of and struggle for human rights should be central in the
churches. We urge that the defence and promotion of human rights be
understood as central to the gospel, and their promotion a responsible and
ethical engagement by Christians in social life.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the more recent
declaration for the rights of the child provide us with instruments of
appropriate vision. What is needed is to promote these instruments
through human rights education and through campaigning for their
ratification and implementation.
2. The role of the United Nations
During the last forty years the UN has played a very important role
in understanding and promoting peace and justice among the nations of
this world. It was created immediately after the end of the second world
war and therefore it belongs to the group of institutions shaped in the
context of a world order controlled by the super-powers of the liberal
and the communist blocs. With recent events, this order came to an end.
There is a concern about how far the UN’s structures and style of
operation reflect this change of situation. The Security Council is,
indeed, one of these structures which should be revised in order to make
it more democratic and open to the expectations of the less powerful
nations. Furthermore, with the fading fortunes of the USSR as a super¬
power, it only leaves the USA and its allies to maintain a stranglehold
on the UN. We therefore urge an international process to evaluate the
role and effectiveness of the UN with a view to restructuring and
reshaping it. We recognize that the UN and its agencies are valuable
instruments for the maintenance of peace and security as well as for
interstate cooperation in world affairs. Nevertheless, its structures must
reflect the present historical trends and its authority should reflect the
concerns of all nations.
3. Dialogue, gospel and culture
Many Christians, especially in Africa and Asia, feel threatened by
Islamization and the introduction of the Sharia law. The WCC must
The Sub-themes 93
take this issue very seriously in its dialogue with people of other faiths.
The prominence of Aboriginal issues at this assembly and the debate
about syncretism have, as in Vancouver, drawn our attention to the
relationship between gospel and cultures.
In Latin America the commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the
arrival of the conquistadores and the beginning of Christian mission in
that part of the world is also creating a debate about gospel and cultures.
As the WCC reflects more and more the diversity and cultural riches of
the ecumenical family, this issue has to receive prominence.
4. Community
The relationship between peoples is often distorted by ideologies,
racism, enemy images, sexism, etc. Listening to the teachings of Jesus,
Christians know that they have to overcome those barriers that also divide
them. As a sharing and healing community, Christians must become a
prophetic voice in a world that is tom apart.
5. Power
Powerful institutions claim to be engaging in rational activity, and this
justification appeals to those whom the institutions benefit. But for those
whom they oppress, the outcome is a chaos of irrationality. We need a
greater understanding of the human effects of the exercise of secular
power.
Power is not a limited commodity. Power must be redefined and
shared in a new way. We understand power as an enabling force which
will allow us to transform relationships so that domination can be
overcome.
But the power of the Holy Spirit is a potent force. It enables us to
shape life. Through the Spirit’s power the churches are part of the positive
force for good.
* * *
PLENARY DISCUSSION
Dr Lois Wilson (United, Canada): The report should speak of sexual
harassment of women in the churches as well as in society.
Bishop Anastasios (Eastern Orthodox, Greece): “Theological per¬
spective” section: Christological and ecclesiological perspectives are
94 Signs of the Spirit
dangerously absent. Our criterion for discerning the spirits is Christ.
More biblical and theological reflections are needed on the question
of truth. The main work of the Spirit is to guide us into all truth,
giving us personal, existential knowledge of the truth in Christ. It is
also necessary to stress the relation of the Spirit of truth with the
church. The coming of the Spirit at Pentecost transformed individuals
into an apostolic community responsible for continuing the work of
Christ, for making known the truth of God. Finally, the freedom we
have is not only from something but for somebody. Only in Christ
are we truly free.
Dr Milton Itar Efthimiou (Eastern Orthodox, USA): Issue 6: We
should not substitute inclusive language for the time-tested language of
the Bible or the fathers. Female imagery has been prevalent within the
Orthodox tradition (e.g., in iconography), but the Trinity cannot be
subjected to female language.
Pastor Jorge Domingues (Methodist, Brazil): The concerns of youth
are missing in the recommendations. The WCC should support youth
participation in the decision-making bodies of the churches.
Dr Emmanuel Klapsis (Eastern Orthodox, USA): The Spirit seems to
drop out of consideration after the first section. The Spirit creates
community and challenges the churches to liberate themselves from the
sin of diversity. The report also fails to mention the freedom from death
which leads to martyrdom.
Prof. John Romanides (Eastern Orthodox, Greece): All who received
glorification have experienced Pentecost. This is important for women
who, together with the prophets, are the foundation of the church in
Ephesians. The ordination of women, however, is another matter.
Issue 3: Reference is made to the Roman Catholic Church’s role in the
exploitation of Latin America. This is also true of Reformation churches
in other parts of the world.
Ms Christine Grumm (Lutheran, USA): In difficult economic circum¬
stances it is often the positions held by women that are cut. This must not
be true for the WCC. How much support do women staff get in the World
Council? The system is designed and dominated by men.
Bishop Zacharias Mar Theophilos (Mar Thoma, India): Issue 3: A
simple note in the reports on the dalits, the poorest of the poor in India, is
not enough. We must express our solidarity with them and our support for
their struggle.
Mrs Rachel Mathew (Mar Thoma, India): Issue 6: Ordination should
be recognized as a calling and not as an issue of equality.
The Sub-themes 95
Rev. Puafitu Faa’alo (Reformed, Tuvalu): Issue 5: The omission of
any reference to Irian Taya and East Timor shows the incapacity of the
WCC to deal witu sensitive issues of peace anu justice.
Rev. Mary-Gene Boteler (Presbyterian, USA): Issue 6: The report
addresses the issue of violence against women but makes no recommen¬
dations. Such violence is on the rise; women need places of sanctuary,
even at a WCC assembly.
Prof. Adebisi Sowunmi (Anglican, Nigeria): Issue 3: The Programme
to Combat Racism should take responsibility for issues of ethnicity and
Islamization as well as racism and should address these as urgent socio¬
political problems.
Ms Ellen Kirby (Methodist, USA): Issue 2: The WCC should take
advantage of the study already done by five churches regarding the
international debt crisis and play a strong role in coordinating action
towards solutions of this very serious problem. Issue 5 : It is imperative
that the WCC give top priority to full-time representatives at the United
Nations.
Ms Stephanie Lynn (United, Canada): Issue 3: Freedom, contrary to
what is implied in this report, cannot be achieved by taking away the
freedom of others.
Ms Annathaie Abayasekera (Anglican, Sri Lanka) : Reference should
be made to the problems faced by people from the South who are migrant
workers or refugees in countries that belong to the European Community.
Prof. Angus Holland (Presbyterian, South Africa): The text from
John 8 — “You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free” —
is unique in the Hebrew tradition in its affirmation that it is the truth that
binds one to the truth lest freedom become anarchy.
Prof. Peter Widmann (Lutheran, Denmark) : The report lacks concrete
analysis and fails to make necessary distinctions, especially between what
God does and what we do. As a result, we confuse our good intentions
with the work of God.
Archbishop Aram Keshishian (Oriental Orthodox, Lebanon): In many
WCC programmes, there is a competition between global and contextual
definitions of justice. This assembly has shown how our concepts are
locally conditioned; JPIC may help us move towards a global under¬
standing.
Mrs Prakai Nontawasee (United, Thailand): Issue 4: Reference
should be made to the evil impact on Asian societies, especially on
women and children, of the “flesh-trade” (prostitution) and the tourist
industry.
96 Signs of the Spirit
Prof. Bastiaan De Gaay Fortman (Reformed, Netherlands): The
report offers clear theological definitions of what is meant by “the
freedom of the Spirit”. It must mean the freedom to follow Jesus as Lord.
Dr George McGonigle (Anglican, USA): The report includes recom¬
mendations to add to the number of WCC staff, something that is not
likely to happen in the present financial situation. References to the unjust
economic system failed to acknowledge that such systems were also
found within nations.
Landesbischof Horst Hirschler (Lutheran, Germany): We must
emphasize the first sentence that Christ sets us free. We are not sisters and
brothers because we have the same interests or views but because Christ is
our common Lord.
Rt Hon. David Bleakley (Anglican, Ireland): The WCC needs a
“programme to combat war-ism”.
Archdean George Austin (Anglican, England): Issue 4: The call for a
new information order is part of discredited UNESCO proposals. It would
not lead to liberation but to a new form of slavery.
3.4. REPORT OF SECTION III :
“SPIRIT OF UNITY - RECONCILE YOUR PEOPLE !”
Introduction
The seventh assembly has a special logo which we have all seen on
banners, T-shirts and books. Within this one logo are combined a number
of the symbols of the Holy Spirit — the dove, tongues of fire, and a boat
with its sails filled with the wind of the Spirit. It all depends on the angle
from which one looks at the drawing.
In section III as we reflected on the life of the church we came to
realize that Christians see truth in different ways and yet at the same time
all are united in the power of the Holy Spirit. This rich diversity of
insights and practices is a gift of the Holy Spirit. Sadly this is not
recognized even in the life of the church, and all too often diversity is a
cause of division.
Christians are divided from each other by history, doctrine, culture,
class, gender and wealth. New Christian movements such as the pen-
tecostal and charismatic movements add to the diversity. Christians need
to recognize that only in a sinful world does diversity become divergent
The Sub-themes 97
while in Christ diversity is held together in unity. We are already united
by our common baptism as the basis of koinonia, guided by the Holy
Spirit. What we work towards is unity of faith, life and witness.
In this process it will be especially important to face up to the
divisions which prevent us from sharing the eucharist together and those
which make it impossible for churches to recognize the ministry of others.
Christians are even more deeply divided from people of other faiths
and ideologies even though we share a common humanity and face
common challenges and tasks. There are also deep divisions within and
between other living religions and ideologies. From the depth and pain of
our divisions we cry “Spirit of unity, reconcile your people !”
Reconciliation has to take place in a historical context. Reconciliation
works when there is honest recognition of the actual sin committed
against your neighbour and when practical restitution has been made for
it. In other words those who have been guilty of oppression and injustice
must show genuine and costly repentance (metanoia). Forgiveness is pre¬
eminently mediated through the victim in the historical context. This
process of repentance and reconciliation may well be a long one. We must
open ourselves to the Holy Spirit who works among us and also in the
world — leading the whole of humanity into the community (koinonia)
which is both a present and eschatological reality.
A. Spirit of unity
1. Ecumenical perspectives on ecclesiology
The reflection of numerous churches about their own identity as well
as many ecumenical developments — for example the response of
churches to the Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry (BEM) document — call
for comprehensive discussion on the nature and mission of the church.
The idea of koinonia can be a most helpful perspective in this work. As
expressed in the book Resources for Sections : “Koinonia in the Holy
Spirit is based on sharing in the life of the Trinitarian God and is
expressed by sharing life within the community. (It) becomes possible
through reconciliation with God and with one another in the power of the
Holy Spirit”. This reconciliation can come about only if, recognizing the
baptism that binds us together, we also recognize other factors relating to
ecclesiology which need further ecumenical study :
a) Unity and diversity : Diversity has always been an essential in the
life of the Christian koinonia. It is an expression of the church’s
catholicity. But there are also certain limits, namely the confession of
98 Signs of the Spirit
Jesus Christ as God and Saviour according to the scriptures, who is the
same yesterday, today and for ever. Diversity that builds up the body is
life-giving; diversity that divides and excludes cannot be accepted.
b) Church and culture: The gospel from which the church is bom
finds its historical expression in many cultures. Such incarnation calls
the churches to serious dialogue with the respective cultures. In the
search for a contextual application of the gospel, it is important that
national and ethnic identities be respected and that the unity of the
church be preserved. In the light of the gospel, all cultures need to be
transformed and renewed.
c) Authority : The whole question of authority needs further ecumeni¬
cal study. Aspects include diverse structures of teaching with authority in
the churches and common structures of decision-making as an element of
visible unity.
d) Roman Catholic Church : We affirm the value and participation of
Roman Catholic observers and advisers at this assembly and especially
their contribution in the area of Faith and Order. We encourage the
continuation and development of existing dialogue as appropriate in the
spirit of our prayer to the Spirit of unity.
2. Koinonia and unity
The 1987 central committee of the WCC asked Faith and Order to
prepare a draft statement on “The Unity We Seek” to be submitted to the
assembly in Canberra. The statement, “The Unity of the Church as
Koinonia: Gift and Calling”, was discussed by the section and appropri¬
ately amended, and later adopted by the assembly. The full text is
included in the Report of the Reference Committee (4.4).
3. Community of women and men
A renewed and transformed community of women and men calls for a
non-oppressive understanding of power grounded in relationships of love,
repentance and forgiveness, modelled on the life and ministry of Jesus
and exemplified for us on the cross. A truly renewed community will
value the gifts of every group of people. This community, united by
baptism, shares differently but equally in the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Churches today are being enriched by many new and renewed ministries
of women, both among those churches that ordain women and those that
do not. Yet, serious differences continue to exist between the churches on
this issue. Because these different positions appear to “raise obstacles to
mutual recognition of ministries” and thus may be a hindrance to unity, it
The Sub-themes 99
is important that an ecumenical study on this issue be undertaken as part
of the work of Faith and Order.
Recommendations
1. That a study on ecumenical perspectives of ecclesiology be under¬
taken in the WCC with a view to re-enforcing our work towards the
unity of the church. This study should be closely related to the
ongoing Faith and Order studies on the common confession of the
apostolic faith and to other work in the WCC, especially to the
ecclesiological implications of the Justice, Peace and the Integrity of
Creation (JPIC) process. The provisional theme of the 1993 Faith
and Order world conference “Towards Communion in Faith, Life
and Witness” also points in the same direction. The member
churches of the WCC are invited to participate in and support the
preparation of this conference.
2. That the Faith and Order study document “Church and World” be
studied in the churches as a help for convergence in their
ecclesiological thinking, and particularly to highlight the inter¬
relation between the nature of the church as a communion of the
Holy Spirit and its mission as an instrument of God’s saving and
transforming purpose.
3 . That the assembly express its gratitude to the churches for their active
participation in the BEM process, in which considerable convergence
in the understanding and practice of baptism, eucharist and ministry
has already been achieved.
4. That a special fund for the Community of Women and Men be set up
to stimulate further reflection and action locally on relevant issues.
5. That the WCC continue to focus on women through the Decade of the
Churches in Solidarity with Women.
6. That the WCC inaugurate a programme of ecumenical training to
enable the churches to equip women and men, lay and ordained, for
partnership in ministry in local congregations.
7. That member churches monitor their educational programmes and
resources to incorporate insights into faith, worship and mission
through the Community of Women and Men.
8. That the WCC continue to seek ways of ensuring that the rich variety
of gifts and leadership and participation among women are channelled
appropriately into its assemblies, commissions and committees. A
detailed statistical analysis of delegations to assemblies might encour¬
age this.
100 Signs of the Spirit
B. Mission in the power of the Spirit — the ministry of reconciliation
and sharing
The reconciled community that we seek can only be found through
Jesus who laid down his life for his friends and forgave those who nailed
him to the cross. The suffering of the victims of division is intertwined
with the cross. There is a solidarity in suffering on the part of those who
share in the pain and suffering of Christ through which they are also
united with the pain of all humankind. The reconciliation brought about
by the cross is the basis of the mission of the church.
A reconciled and renewed creation is the goal of the mission of the
church. The vision of God uniting all things in Christ is the driving force
of its life and sharing. Sharing also means that we work concretely to
overcome economic disparities and social antagonisms between classes,
castes, races, sexes and cultures. The diversity of cultures is of immediate
relevance to the church’s ministry of reconciliation and sharing for it
affects both the relationships within churches and also the relationship
with people of other faiths.
1. Wholeness of mission
We affirm that we are called to share the gospel among all peoples
locally and globally and we recognize that the Holy Spirit leads different
people and churches into mission in different ways. Our mission needs to
be in Christ’s way, in full obedience to the will of God as it was analyzed
at the world mission conference in San Antonio. Wholeness of mission
demands a will to break down the barriers locally and globally. We affirm
JPIC as a mission imperative that promotes interconnectedness and
mutual commitment.
While the unity of the church and wholeness of its mission are
inseparable, we do not need to achieve visible unity of the churches
before we address the needs of the world together. Indeed such common
endeavour in the world may further the unity of the church. Each church
acting in mission is acting on behalf of the whole body of Christ. At the
same time we affirm local ecumenical endeavours where people of
various churches engage in mission together. The possibility of such
ecumenical endeavours could be greatly increased as the churches grow
towards consensus on issues such as baptism, eucharist and ministry
which at present impair their communion. We need to remember our
original understanding of mission which is preaching, teaching and
healing. This involves the whole people of God in sharing, serving and
renewal in a spirit of love and respect. Mission is both local and global
The Sub-themes 101
and we must be sensitive to each situation and the ways to address each
situation.
It has been customary to speak of “sending churches” in some parts of
the world. Where aggressive “sending” has been done by churches,
particularly from the West to the South, the phrase is problematic. If we
continue to use the term we should emphasize that Christ sends through
the church in the power of the Holy Spirit. Structural changes are required
where “sending” perpetuates denominational engagement in mission and
separated churches.
Our brother and sister Christians in many parts of the world suffer
pain, persecution and oppression. Many are exploited to satisfy the desire
of people in the North and the West. The church must be in solidarity with
these victims in their suffering. Christians in these prosperous areas must
have the humility to learn from those oppressed sisters and brothers. Thus
there can be a real sharing and a partnership in mission even in the midst
of economic injustice and political hostility and this is a witness by the
church to the gospel of reconciliation.
Evangelism is a vital part of mission and is the responsibility of all
members of the church and not of some particular individuals. Here again
the churches of the North and West have much to learn from Christians in
Latin America and Africa.
Proselytism among the churches was identified by the section as both
a scandal and a challenge. The WCC defined and repudiated proselytism
in 1960. More work needs to be done on this to avoid increasing bitter
relations between the churches and the tendency to advance the concerns
of one group at the expense of another.
Religious fanaticism and the alliance of religion with forces of
injustice and oppression have often torn human society apart and today
threaten the very possibility of a world at peace. The danger is within all
religions. Our conviction that Jesus Christ through the action of the Holy
Spirit is “God’s saving presence for all” is not hesitant or partial and we
seek to live in respect and understanding with people of other living
faiths.
2. The community of sharing
We affirm that all sharing begins with the recognition that what we
call “ours” is given by God in love, that we have a duty to serve as
stewards of those gifts, and that sharing is shown forth when the church
manifests itself as one body, the body of which Jesus is the head and all
the faithful are members. Sharing depends upon creating opportunities for
102 Signs of the Spirit
offering up and receiving emptiness and suffering as well as fullness and
joy-
The church’s mission is reconciling all humankind with God and with
each other. Sharing means giving and receiving by all to one another to
effect reconciliation and to promote growing together. In response to the
cries of the poor and marginalized in the world, sharing means commit¬
ting ourselves as churches to the sharing of power and resources so that all
may fully participate in mission.
Sharing happens at all levels: individually, locally, nationally, and
internationally. We should not just share with those whom we like and
with whom we have good relationships. We are compelled to share with
those from whom we differ and whom we have neglected and ignored
because of their sex, race, caste, etc. This is the way to bring about
lasting reconciliation.
We must begin immediately to enable further the community in
sharing by endorsing the “Guidelines for Sharing” (El Escorial, 1987) and
by urging the churches to implement these guidelines. We recognize that
there have been impediments to sharing in the process so far and we must
all work to remove and overcome them. The community in sharing must
not bar people for reasons of sex, age, caste, ethnicity, or economic,
political, physical or mental capacity.
We confess our own lack of recognition and acceptance of the gifts of
others. We recognize that all individuals and communities have gifts to
share and that all must be encouraged to offer these gifts if we are to
become the truly inclusive community.
We strive for a community in which sharing will be carried out within
the framework of the covenant agreements of the JPIC and gospel
imperatives such as those found in the Beatitudes in Matthew 5.
3. Community of cultures
Culture can be defined as a system or framework of meaning,
behaviour and symbols and the way in which we orient our lives within it.
In the interaction between the gospel and culture, the gospel may
challenge various elements of that culture and there is also the possibility
of a culture questioning a particular understanding of the gospel.
There is a need for some churches to repent of the ways in which the
gospel was brought to particular cultures. Through the healing power of
forgiveness, God’s creative spirit can then enable them to renew their
old structures in order to promote justice, peace, and the integrity of
creation.
The Sub-themes 103
Christians are called to be sensitive to the fact today that they live
in pluralistic communities with all the attendant problems of racism,
tribalism, sexism, age-ism that are exacerbated by economic and
social injustices which further polarize people. Young and old are
often lured by false claims of community which are put forth by TV
and advertisers: these tend to further factionalize us and make us
confused, afraid, and disoriented and then drive us into drugs and
harmful sub-cultures. We need to ask: how far does the church create
tension and how far does the church promote reconciliation? We need
to discern what parts of the culture help communicate the gospel and
what parts are outside the gospel. We also need to study colonialism
and neo-colonialism in relation to missionary activity to be more
aware of the tendency to present the gospel from the perspective of
the dominant cultures.
Recommendations
1 . That sharing be fostered through experimentation by member churches
in different contexts assisted by the WCC and its guidelines for
sharing, and that the results of this experimentation including report¬
ing in story form be offered as a resource for others.
2. That the WCC identify and promote models to enable the churches to
share in mission in the next century.
3. That member churches be encouraged to convene regional and
local consultations to identify gifts and needs and to propose
action.
4. That the resource-sharing process be termed “community in sharing”
in order to give better expression to our understanding of the church in
mission.
5. That the WCC assist the member churches in establishing priorities for
sharing which recognize the special gifts of marginalized groups, e.g.
women, young people, indigenous people and the differently-abled.
6. That the WCC identify the special gifts of member churches and stand
ready to call on them to share these gifts on behalf of the whole body
at times of special need (e.g. the historic peace churches in times of
war).
7. That the WCC be socially responsible in its investment policies.
8. That member churches be encouraged to develop partnerships with
churches from other cultures, north and south, east and west, to
promote koinonia and healing.
104 Signs of the Spirit
9. That the WCC promote a process of analysis and study about Christian
faith, cultural domination and their incidence in the missionary con¬
ception.
C. Spirit of unity and the encounter with peoples of other faiths and
ideologies
1. Reconciliation with people of other faiths
The Holy Spirit is at work in ways that pass human understanding : the
freedom of the Spirit may challenge and surprise us as we enter into
dialogue with people of other faiths. The gospel of Jesus Christ has taught
us the signs and fruit of the Holy Spirit — joy, peace, patience and
faithfulness (Gal. 5). Dialogue challenges us to discern the fruits of the
Spirit in the way God deals with all humanity.
The Bible testifies to God as sovereign of all nations and peoples as
the one whose love and compassion include all humankind. We see in the
covenant with Noah a covenant with all creation. We recognize God’s
covenant with Abraham and Israel. In the history of this covenant we are
granted to come to know God through Jesus Christ. We also recognize
that other people testify to knowing God through other ways. We witness
to the truth that salvation is in Christ and we also remain open to other
people’s witness to truth as they have experienced it.
Today in many parts of the world religion is used as a force of division
and conflict. That religious language and symbols have been used to
exacerbate conflicts makes us more urgently aware of our need for
dialogue as a means of reconciliation. There are many barriers to this
reconciliation, however. Too frequently we are ignorant of one another
and unwittingly bear false witness or become intolerant. Political and
economic realities as well as the inequality of minority religious com¬
munities often inhibit dialogue. Yet the difficulty of dialogue must not
deter us from recognizing the urgency of dialogue in situations throughout
the world where religious communities are divided by fear and mistrust.
The need for reconciliation and building mutual trust leads us to move
beyond meetings, exchanges and formal encounters to what we might call
a “culture of dialogue”. This culture of dialogue begins at the local level
with our daily living and relationship to people of other faiths and leads to
common action towards a common future, especially around concerns of
justice and peace, given the overwhelming problems of our interdepen¬
dent world. We have heard many stories of reconciliation and growth in
mutual understanding which have occurred in places of shared encounter.
The Sub-themes 105
In situations where dialogue at a local level is difficult, relationships at a
regional or international level can play a role in building bridges and
enabling dialogue to begin.
The first step in dialogue is to know the other as a person. In mutual
encounter, people come to know and trust one another, telling their
stories of faith and sharing their concerns and service to the world. Both
the telling and the hearing of faith are crucial in discerning God’s will.
Dialogue can help people and communities to understand one another’s
stories. Part of dialogue is standing together under God and leaving space
for us to be touched by the Holy Spirit. We enter into dialogue with the
other asking God to be present among us. Empowered by the Holy Spirit,
we build bridges of trust.
Dialogue is an authentic form of Christian witness, and an encounter
of commitments. As Christians we affirm the Holy Spirit counselling us
to keep faith in the revealed Christ and to encounter the other’s faith.
Dialogue is an authentic ministry to which many are today being called
and which we affirm is urgently needed. Interfaith dialogue has proved
difficult for some churches and Christians because of our continuing
problems in understanding religious plurality and God’s relationship to
people of other religious traditions. It is important to continue to explore
this issue in ways that open up our churches to the challenges of living in
a world of many faiths.
2. Dialogue with ideologies
Churches today find themselves in acute confusion about the role of
ideologies in society. Until recently one could speak of prevailing,
dominant ideologies, but the obvious failure of communism as a state
ideology has created a new situation. It challenges the churches in a fresh
way to discriminate between constructive and destructive elements in any
ideology and to clearly express the criteria of truth and justice as a basis
for critical dialogue with the adherents of such ideologies.
Ideological conflicts arise when an ideology demands absolute loy¬
alty, ignoring the essential ingredient of accountability. This has affected
most strongly churches in a Marxist-dominated society. For a long time
Marxism was seen as a possible partner in dialogue with Christianity.
Now we are confronted with the collapse of this system. There is no
reason for the triumphalism of the free-market system given its negative
effects. The churches have no pretension to construct an alternative social
and economic system. The JPIC process can provide important criteria for
every social and economic order and inspire new concepts.
106 Signs of the Spirit
Ideological trends can be found in fundamentalism and national¬
ism. We must learn to distinguish between convictions that affirm our
identity and fundamentalism, whether Christian or not, which
becomes an intolerant ideology, closed to other approaches and
realities. Nationalism and ethnicity are becoming new phenomena
intended to be unifying factors in the struggle for cultural, religious
and political self-determination, but which sometimes become domi¬
nant ideologies that exclusively interpret history and are not open to
the reality of people’s experience. These ideological expressions
become difficult when faith components are used as an instrument to
justify exclusive approaches. Churches as communities of reconcilia¬
tion need to take into account that we have inherited an understand¬
ing of missiology and evangelism rooted in exclusive values and
dressed with Western patterns. This reality does not always facilitate
dialogue and a comprehensive approach to reality. In this moment
when plurality is affirmed in many contexts, mission and evangelism
must pay attention to those trends, and churches need to be spaces of
encounter of people, visions and even of ideologies.
There are also “hidden ideologies” which are not institutionalized or
publicly supported. Nevertheless they are very influential and deeply
rooted in social consciousness. This seems to be especially a problem for
Western societies which think that they have overcome ideologies
altogether. Hidden ideologies include: (1) patriarchy which is rooted in,
and in turn strengthens, a system of religious beliefs shared by many of
the world’s religions; (2) economic materialism which reduces value-
judgments to the calculation of costs and benefits and thus disregards the
dignity of human persons and the integrity of creation ; (3) achievement-
oriented individualism which places personal achievement above efforts
aimed at the well-being of society; (4) pluralism, resulting from uncritical
affirmation of secularization making the Divine less than creation;
(5) modernization which aggressively breaks up the liberative cultural
values of the two-thirds world, affecting in particular the lives of young
people.
The tasks of the community of faith are: (1) to name the hidden
ideologies and to expose the contradictions between the ideological
claims and the realities of people’s lives ; (2) to enter into critical dialogue
with the exponents of such ideologies on the basis of the biblical criteria
of God’s preferential option for the marginalized and for the well-being of
creation. It is the power of truth as encounter with reality which brings
these hidden ideologies to accountability.
The Sub-themes 107
Recommendations
1. That the WCC immediately seek to bring leaders of the Christian,
Muslim and Jewish communities together to explore ways of working
together for peace and justice in the present context of the Middle East
crisis.
2. That the WCC encourage member churches to convene interfaith
dialogue meetings for youth.
D. Pentecostal and charismatic movements
1. Charismatic movements (within our historic churches )
In this century the world has witnessed the rise and growth of
movements which emphasize the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Holy
Spirit. While these movements and churches are by no means uniform,
they are commonly known as charismatic or pentecostal.
Insofar as they emphasize the charisms of the Spirit described in the
New Testament and represent a rediscovery of the ministry of healing,
they are valid expressions of Christian living. They also represent a
commitment to strong faith and fellowship, increased spontaneity, open¬
ness and freedom among worshippers, all of these leading to greater
participation in the life of the churches.
These movements can contribute to Christian division when a particu¬
lar experience of the Spirit is introduced as normative for all Christians.
Over-emphasis on the Holy Spirit as working independently of the Father
and the Son can also be divisive.
2. Our relation with charismatic and pentecostal churches
The development of the pentecostal movement has profoundly influ¬
enced the life and worship of many churches related to the WCC. But the
relationship between pentecostals and Christians of other traditions some¬
times suffers from mutual misunderstanding. Pentecostals have some¬
times felt excluded and have been accused of emotionalism, over¬
enthusiasm, sectarianism, and lack of social concern. Within the pen¬
tecostal movement there is much diversity. Some pentecostals have
rejected the traditional churches. Some have rejected the ecumenical
movement as a human attempt to produce Christian unity, or because of
genuine theological differences on the part of its members concerning the
nature of the Christian faith and how to express it in the modem world.
But others have sought fellowship with Christians outside their bound¬
aries, particularly with evangelicals. They have begun to take interest in
108 Signs of the Spirit
questions of visible church unity; traditional churches have in turn
become more open to the spiritual and theological insights that pentecos-
tals bring. In Latin America, for example, pentecostals (now the numeri¬
cally dominant form of Protestantism in the area) take part in the Latin
American Council of Churches. Similar dialogue has been taking place in
other areas as well. These hopeful signs bode well for the future efforts to
bring the churches closer together.
Recommendations
1 . That churches endeavour to rediscover the New Testament teaching
that each Christian has at least one gift of the Holy Spirit for the
building up of the church.
2. That churches endeavour to deepen their teaching on the Trinity, on
pneumatology (the work and gifts of the Holy Spirit), and on the
charisms described in the New Testament.
3. That the WCC recognize the congregations of pentecostal churches
as part of the historical development of the Christian church and its
rich diversity.
4. That the WCC seek to uphold the validity of the pentecostal
experience for those whose lives are touched by this movement,
while taking care not to give the impression that pentecostal
belief and practice are prerequisites for genuine Christian experi¬
ence.
5. That the WCC help to foster the relationship between the ecumenical
and pentecostal movements.
6. That a study project be undertaken to help clarify and understand the
great diversity in the pentecostal movement.
7. That dialogue between Latin American, African and Asian pentecos¬
tals many of whom are open to the ecumenical movement — and
North American and European pentecostals — many of whom are
suspicious of ecumenism — be encouraged by the WCC.
8. That the WCC invite pentecostals to share in its programmes.
9. That a number of pentecostal theologians be invited to join the
Faith and Order Commission, giving due recognition to the
regional, ethnic and gender diversities that exist in the pentecos¬
tal movement.
10. That worship at assemblies and other WCC meetings seek to
reflect authentic expressions of our different traditions. There
should be occasions wnen worship is conducted by pentecostals.
The Sub-themes 109
E. Issues from the regions
The ecumenical issue of koinonia and unity takes diverse forms in the
regions of the world, with varying emphases. On the basis of the regional
discussions of section III, the following were identified as major issues
relating to koinonia and unity :
1 . A major issue in several regions is the reconciliation of Christians
and Muslims. In that context, the search is for mutual recognition, living
together, sharing of the culture of life and avoidance of the culture of
death, promotion of religious freedom, and dialogue which is to be seen
as a two-way process, an “encounter of commitment” with a view to
knowing and being known. That search for reconciliation should be put in
the context of mission and evangelism.
It should be noted that such dialogue is regarded as especially difficult
by many Christians in Africa who are suffering discrimination and
persecution as a result of the political and economic power of Islam.
These Christians need the concrete support of the whole church as they
live and bear witness in their situations of pain, and the WCC should
ensure that such support is given.
2. A second issue is unity in diversity, and the criteria for possible
limits to cultural and confessional diversity. In this regard, attention
needs to be paid to the encounter between so-called classical theology
and other contextual theologies, as well as with women’s voices in
theology.
3. A third issue is the place of spirituality in the search for koinonia
and unity. There can be no reconciliation without repentance and mutual
forgiveness. In the same vein, worship should also reflect regional/
denominational flavour.
4. Another concern is the implementation of the JPIC insights as a
way of achieving reconciliation between communities.
5. Meeting in Australia, we are reminded of the plight of Aboriginal
peoples and minorities here and in other parts of the world. Reconciliation
in these circumstances demands recognition of their identity as human
beings created in the image and likeness of God; repentance, and
restitution made for atrocities committed against them; and a resolve not
to develop them in the image of the dominant culture.
6. Language is an important tool for forging reconciliation and unity.
In this regard it was suggested that the language of “first” and “third”
worlds should be expunged and replaced with the name of the region.
7. The importance of study for forging unity cannot be over¬
emphasized. One aspect of this would be ecumenical learning. But
1 10 Signs of the Spirit
equally important is a study of fundamentalism with a view to understand¬
ing clearly what it represents for mutual dialogue.
F. Proposal from the youth
The life of the church is enriched by young people and children who,
by their presence in worship and all other aspects of church life, equip the
church in meeting the needs and challenges of contemporary society. We
urge our member churches to encourage and equip their young people to
play as active a part as possible in their total life and witness. Only when
the church recognizes the distinctive roles and gifts of all her members
will she reflect the type of community that God intends. We urge the
WCC to continue in its support and recognition of youth.
Conclusion
In our study we came to see that it takes all sorts and conditions of
humanity to build koinonia and community. But koinonia and unity are
not human creations. Above all, they are the gift of the Triune God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
* * *
PLENARY DISCUSSION
Mr Tolly Estes (Anglican, USA): The WCC has sought to include
indigenous people in this assembly, but they also need to be included in
the whole process of theology.
Mrs Birgitta Rantakari (Lutheran, Finland): In this assembly,
expressions and signs of division have at times been more visible than
our unity. We seem more interested in asserting our diversities than our
essential unity. The report lacks passionate commitment to work for
visible unity.
Rev. Angelique Walker-Smith (Baptist, USA): The WCC must
encourage member churches to reflect critically on the role of culture in
their life so that the relevance of the gospel in specific contexts might be
better understood, the witness of the church clarified, and dialogue
among the churches increased. This might be done through the creation of
a commission on gospel and culture.
Rev. Waltet Taylor (Disciples, USA): There must be a Christological
grounding to all of our talk about forgiveness and reconciliation. At the
The Sub-themes 111
same time, our confession of Christ must be set in a Trinitarian
framework in order to avoid Christomonism.
Ms Helgma Tuomi (Lutheran, Finland) : Our delegation welcomes the
continuing work on JPIC. The present task is to integrate the goals and
projects of JPIC into the churches.
Rev. David Coffey (Baptist, Great Britain): The positive recommen¬
dations with regard to Pentecostals should be extended to include
evangelicals.
Dr Robert Reber (Methodist, USA) : The churches today face no more
critical challenge than the need for interfaith dialogue. We live increas¬
ingly in communities that are religiously pluralistic. We must commit
ourselves to dialogue and trust in the guidance of the Spirit.
3.5. REPORT OF SECTION IV :
“HOLY SPIRIT - TRANSFORM AND SANCTIFY US !”
1. Understanding spirituality
1. “Do not be conform to the standards of this world, but let God
transform you...” (Rom. 12:2). God calls people to be transformed and
sanctified. God’s grace is given to penetrate our lives and structures so
that we may serve humanity and all creation, and in all things glorify
God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
2. It has been said that spirituality is so to organize life as to allow the
Holy Spirit room to act. Spirituality has thus a practical dimension. It has
to do with setting the priorities, calendars and rhythms of life. Schedules
and structures, culture, tradition and personality affect how communities
and persons express their spirituality. Different experiences of God’s
presence through the Holy Spirit in word, church and life also determine
our understanding.
3. There is a deep human longing for fulfilment, a spiritual hunger to
become what we were intended to be through creation, already are in
Christ and are yet to be. We were made in the image of God; we are
growing in the likeness of Christ.
4. The whole creation, in bondage through human sin, “waits with
eager longing for the revealing of the children of God” (Rom. 8:19).
Things are not right or complete as they are. Enslaved humankind with all
creation awaits the freedom which is given through the Holy Spirit.
112 Signs of the Spirit
5. Spirituality is rooted in baptism, whereby we are grafted into
the death and resurrection of Christ, inaugurated into a life of disci-
pleship, become members of his body and receive the gifts of the
Holy Spirit to lead a life consecrated to the service of God and God’s
children.
6. Spirituality is the celebration of God’s gifts, life in abundance,
hope in Jesus Christ the crucified and risen Lord, and transformation
through the Holy Spirit. Spirituality is also the constant, often painful,
wrestling with living in the light in spite of darkness and doubts.
Spirituality is to take up the cross for the sake of the world, to share the
agony of all, and to seek the face of God in the depths of human misery.
7. Spirituality — in its manifold forms — is about receiving energy
for life, being cleansed, inspired and set free, in every way being
conformed to Christ.
8. An ecumenical spirituality for our times should be incamational,
here and now, life-giving, rooted in the scriptures and nourished by
prayer; it should be communitarian and celebrating, centred around the
eucharist, expressed in service and witness, trusting and confident. It will
inevitably lead to suffering ; it is open to the wider oikoumene, joyful and
hopeful. Its source and guide is the action of the Holy Spirit. It is lived
and sought in community and for others. It is an ongoing process of
formation and discipleship.
2. The mystery of the Holy Spirit
9. The Holy Spirit cannot be understood apart from the life of the
Holy Trinity. Proceeding from the Father, the Holy Spirit points to Jesus
of Nazareth as the Christ, the Messiah, the Saviour of the world. The
Spirit is the Power of God, energizing the people of God, corporately and
individually, to fulfill their ministry. The Holy Spirit is “holy” by virtue
of the very nature of the Holy Trinity. It is distinct from other “spirits”,
benign or demonic (1 John 4).
10. The Holy Spirit is gloriously free and unbound (John 3),
freeing and unbinding God’s people from the structures and strictures
of this world (Rom. 12). The challenge to God’s people is to
discover, accept and live in this freedom. To live in the Holy Spirit
is to yield one s life to God, to take spiritual risks; in short, to live
by faith.
11. It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that God raised Jesus from the
dead. The promise is that by the same power we shall be raised to be with
him in glory (Eph. 2:6).
The Sub -themes 113
3. The church as sacrament and sign
12. Since Pentecost, a visible Christian community of repentant and
redeemed believers has been constituted by the work of the Holy Spirit, in
order to become the fullness of the body of Christ in history, a sign and
sacrament of the kingdom of God among the nations.
13. We believe in the holy church. The church is holy and is
becoming holy by the work of the Holy Spirit. The church, in spite of its
historical limitations, is a place where sanctification and transfiguration
occur. Throughout the centuries, Christians have sought ways to bring the
fellowship of the church closer to the ideal of the fellowship of the
kingdom that Christ proclaimed.
14. One of the common theological grounds of the ecumenical
community is the Trinitarian understanding of God. The communion of
the Holy Trinity is also a paradigm of the people of God — the church. It
is the Holy Spirit who draws the church to model its life on the
relationship of the Trinity and draws the people of God into the commun¬
ion of the Holy Trinity.
15. There are various forms of Christian communities such as house
churches, small prayer groups, base Christian communities, which com¬
plement parish life by focusing on particular aspects of the kingdom, such
as a simpler life-style, concern for identity or political justice.
16. The church’s holiness is a holiness for the whole world, a holiness
experienced as reconciliation, peace and justice, which are to be realized
in the community.
4. Responding to the Holy Spirit
17. Our approach to God the Holy Spirit must be in humility and
penitence. The life of the church has not always exhibited the marks of
the Holy Spirit. Sinfulness is evident at every level of life. As we come in
penitence, the Holy Spirit enables us to empty ourselves (kenosis) to
receive forgiveness and the grace (charis) to live for the sake of others.
18. The church needs to repent of racism, sexism, caste-ism or any
other form of discrimination and oppression in which it has been
involved. The churches and the ecumenical community should therefore
actively continue to develop programmes to identify and combat all forms
of dehumanization in church and society. At the same time we need to
strive for a renewal of our congregational life, and to live out the new
community for which we call.
19. The church is called to mission and evangelism. The proclamation
of the gospel is impelled and empowered by the Holy Spirit. A true
114 Signs of the Spirit
sharing in mission and evangelism remains open to the contribution of
other churches, and is quite different from the denial of their life, truth
and faith which characterizes a destructive proselytism.
20. Nations in the North now receive many immigrants and refugees
of different faiths and cultures. Such nations need the help of churches in
the south in relating to these persons, whether they practise a living faith
or have no faith. New religions and alternative forms of spirituality
present a further challenge in our time.
21. The Genesis affirmation of God’s resting on the seventh day has
built the principle of rest into the very structure of the cosmos. The
sabbath became an invaluable contribution from the Jewish faith. Liturgi¬
cal times, rites and rhythms provide a frame and support for many kinds
of Christian spirituality. The history of faith comes alive, new generations
make their pilgrimage with the people of God through the ages.
22. The sabbath principle serves as a protection against unlimited
activity and unrelenting desire for profit. The sabbath year, once in fifty
years, was intended to break the spiral by which the rich became richer
and the poor poorer (Lev. 25 : 8- 17). It is relevant to apply this in the debt-
ridden parts of the international community. The burden of debts should
be lifted and the world economic order revised in favour of the poor.
23. Churches need to recover the notion of “sacred time”, both to
honour God and for the well-being of all people. God’s time, the kairos,
enters the chronos of the mundane world and enables new visions and
fresh opportunities.
24. Women have been workers for, and witnesses to, spirituality from
the time of the earliest church. Through the ages women have played a
vital role in the rich tradition of the saints as models and teachers of
Christian spirituality. Women’s responses to the Holy Spirit in our time
constitute a great gift to the churches.
25. People of faith witness to hope in Jesus Christ. In a world where
misery and despair mark the lives of uncountable masses, many Chris¬
tians raise signs of hope by humble perseverance in their work and
witness for justice. We remember these witnesses, together with saints
and martyrs throughout the ages, with thanksgiving. Their example
kindles the Christian life of many ; they belong to the great “cloud of
witnesses” surrounding us and keeping company with us.
26. The Holy Spirit renews hope and upholds hope beyond hope. As
social and political visions crumble and unbridled exploitation prevails,
the discipline of those who identify with the course of liberation could
weaken. The field could be left to anarchy, with aimless violence being
The Sub-themes 115
bom out of desperation. Hope is a precious and vulnerable gift. There is
an authentic spirituality maturing in the midst of struggle, nourished by
the One who gave himself up for the freedom of others.
5. The Holy Spirit calls and moves us towards unity
27. Throughout history and especially during this century, the Holy
Spirit has drawn the churches out of isolation and division. The Holy
Spirit is calling us to acknowledge the unity that exists among us and to
overcome confessional and other barriers in order to be able to share our
energies, gifts and ministries on a common spiritual journey towards
visible unity.
28. The ecumenical journey has been marked by significant points of
growth on the way. Churches have moved from a situation of confronta¬
tion and co-existence, through comparison and cooperation to acknowl¬
edge their complementarity on the way to communion and visible unity.
29. Throughout the world, churches find themselves at different
points on the way towards manifesting visible unity “so that the world
might believe”. Through councils of churches at national, regional and
international levels, churches have been helped to initiate dialogue with
each other and to take the risk of being vulnerable to each other so that a
new creation might emerge.
30. As the churches move towards each other on the ecumenical
pilgrimage, the Holy Spirit calls us to repentance and engagement in a
process of forgiveness. Churches have anathematized each other, and
have contributed to polarization leading some to define themselves in
opposition to others. The churches need to repent of their stances and
actions in respect to each other, and to take responsibility for the positions
which they adopt and for their theologies. Without repentance and
forgiveness no new creation as reconciled communities can emerge. The
Holy Spirit has been evident in enabling the churches to repent, forgive,
reconcile their histories and come to union in God through Christ.
31. There are many examples of this. The Eastern Orthodox and
Oriental Orthodox churches are in process of expressing their repentance
and forgiveness to each other and may celebrate Orthodox unity in a rite
which will publicly declare mutual recognition and the creation of a
situation of communion. A similar process has brought the Reformed and
Mennonite communities towards mutual acceptance.
32. The Spirit draws people across denominational boundaries. Vari¬
ous interdenominational groups and renewal movements challenge the
churches to a greater openness and towards the breaking of denomina-
116 Signs of the Spirit
tional barriers. Since the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of unity, Christians are
called to exercise vigilance so that new divisions do not emerge to cause
pain and tension among God’s people.
33. It is evident that the Holy Spirit has been active in strengthening
the relationships between the Roman Catholic Church and the various
national and regional councils of churches. The Basel assembly (1989)
organized by a regional council of churches and the regional episcopal
conference might provide a useful model of cooperation.
34. The churches have in the past committed themselves to act
together in all those areas where deep differences do not compel them to
act separately (Lund 1952). However they have failed to fulfill this
commitment, and need to acknowledge this with penitence. They need
integrity in word and action. Recently, similar commitments have been
made at Seoul (Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation) and with
respect to the Decade of the Churches in Solidarity with Women. These
must be taken seriously, be formative for the life of all the churches and
remain at the centre of the ecumenical agenda.
35. Sanctification entails continuous commitment to the life of a
visible community and seeking to overcome the stumbling blocks to full
unity. Common prayer for unity, intercessions, united witness, commu¬
nity life, and recognition of the pieties of others are all part of ecumenism
today.
6. The Holy Spirit in the world
36. The Holy Spirit, the Giver of life, continues to breathe life into all
creation. As all life emanates from God and ultimately will return to God
(Ps. 104), the ethos of holiness requires holding an attitude towards all
that exists as if it by nature belonged to God. We do not own ourselves,
our bodies, our lives, the air and the soil. All is given by God.
37. Though inseparably belonging to creation, we are in the world as
stewards and priests of creation. We are endowed with the privilege and
responsibility of referring creation back to its Creator. The church is now
challenged to define the relationship of humanity to the rest of creation in
dialogue with science. Anthropomonism (the idea that human beings are
the only concern of God) denies the integrity of creation. Sacralizing
nature may lead towards pantheism and the denial of the uniqueness of
men and women, created in the image of God.
38. The Holy Spirit is at work among all peoples and faiths, and
throughout the universe. With the sovereign freedom which belongs to
God the Wind blows wherever it wants. Recognizing this, the church
The Sub-themes 117
rejoices in being nourished by the ministry of the Holy Spirit through the
word and sacraments, thereby participating in salvation.
39. Spirits must be discerned. Not every spirit is of the Holy Spirit.
The primary criterion for discerning the Holy Spirit is that the Holy Spirit
is the Spirit of Christ ; it points to the cross and resurrection and witnesses
to the Lordship of Christ. The fruits of the Spirit, among them love, joy
and peace, offer another criterion to be applied (Gal. 5:22). We believe
that these criteria should also operate when we encounter the profound
spirituality of other religions.
7. The transforming role of the people of God
40. The church is the entire people (laos) of God empowered by the
Holy Spirit. As the laity of the church — whether women, men or young
people — live in the world, they are agents of the Holy Spirit for
transforming society. Through the church they receive strength, direction
and identity. In fulfilling their mission they need all the enabling,
encouragement and support the church can give. In many instances,
however, they are offering their ministry in the world without full support
and cooperation from their churches. They need to be recognized as
giving a powerful witness and as serving at the forefront of the church’s
mission.
41. For many, the family — in one form or another — provides the
appropriate space and ethos for spiritual formation, prayer and spiritual¬
ity. Family units are threatened in many ways today and need the support
and nurture of the whole community of the church. We need to explore
diverse models and structures of family spirituality, spiritual formation
and prayer life.
8. The inclusive community
42. The church is called to demonstrate God’s inclusive love. God
loved the world and all people (John 3:16). In some situations, such as a
Pacific island village or a rural small town, inclusivity is natural; the
fellowship of a local congregation is the fellowship of the sociological
community. The challenge may come when an outsider tries to join the
community and congregation.
43. In other cultures the human factors of language, race, sex, caste,
or economic status may seem insurmountable barriers to those seeking to
join the Christian community — or to the community’s striving to be
inclusive towards the society.
118 Signs of the Spirit
44. Inclusivity has to do with power and powerlessness. It needs to be
defined by those who are or who feel excluded ; the sharing of pain is the
beginning of forming an inclusive community. To be inclusive we need to
cultivate an attitude of intensive listening : to hear and heed the voice of
the Holy Spirit who so often speaks through the person “on the other side
of the road” (Luke 10).
45. Inclusivity means equality, full participation and respect for all —
children, young people, women, differently-abled, people of other ethnic
or educational backgrounds, people of different spiritual understandings,
and all who are — or feel themselves — marginalized. This assembly has
experienced this challenge as we have met with Aboriginal brothers and
sisters.
46. The Spirit challenges us to an active inclusivity. This means a
relentless struggle, in which we side with minorities and oppressed
peoples. We cannot wait for others to come to us, we must reach out to
them in love, we must “walk the second mile” and go more than half way
(Matt. 5). We must act in faith, trusting in the guidance and help of the
Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:8).
9. Making peace
47. Another manifestation of spirituality is a peace-oriented life-style,
exploring the power of active non-violence for the transformation of
society. Power operates in all areas of life — in both church and society.
The exercise of power within the church should always attempt to reflect
and promote Christian love (John 14 and 15). The church’s critique of
worldly power (the dominant mode in political and economic structures)
must always point towards love as the better way, even though it may not
be understood (Phil. 4). But Spirit-led peace-making and peace-living
generates the joy and contentment of the blessed of God (Matt. 5). The
challenge is to translate this from personal and interpersonal living into
the life of our congregations, the community at large and into economic
and political structures.
10. For the life of the world
48. Eucharistic spirituality lived by a local Christian community is in
itself the most valuable diaconal service that can be given and a mission¬
ary witness of immeasurable significance.
49. No congregation lives for itself. As Jesus gave himself up for the
life of the world, so the church is called to surrender power, resources and
interests to God in serving society, world and creation.
The Sub -themes 119
50. The prayers of the worshipping community join the voice of
the voiceless. Both repentance and thanksgiving are expressed also on
behalf of those who are absent. Bread and wine and water brought
before God with thanksgiving represent all creation. The sharing of
peace at the eucharist commits the community to work for peace. The
partaking of communion symbolizes justice and love. Our dependence
on the fruits of the earth for our physical and spiritual life makes
every eucharistic celebration a call to preserve the integrity of
creation. Through all this the Spirit keeps flowing, renewing the face
of the earth.
5 1 . Spirituality expresses itself in the liturgical life of the people of
God. Worship takes a variety of forms in different churches. Sharing
experiences and insights of worship is enriching for the whole body of
Christ. The fundamental nature of the Christian life is to gather around
word and sacrament in fellowship and prayer (Acts 2:42). The experience
of worship is both the stimulus for and the result of the inner relationship
with the Spirit. It involves life, gives life, and is a means for evangelism
and grassroots ecumenism. Every worshipping community should be a
model for an inclusive community. Worship space needs to be designed
so that all people are able to participate fully. A lively ministry of
hospitality, welcoming all in the name of the Lord, is most important.
The plea of young people for forms of worship and celebration which fit
their culture must be taken seriously.
52. The Holy Spirit frees people to committed stewardship in relation
to creation, church and community. In a world which values things more
than relationships, and where wealth and health are seen as more
important than service in love, the Holy Spirit calls us to different values.
All life is to be lived for God. We should be ready to give up personal
security for the sake of the gospel.
53. The Holy Spirit challenges God’s people to holy living, person¬
ally and corporately. Personal sanctification and corporate transformation
belong together. At all times life is to be lived under and by the power of
the Spirit. This may become most manifest at times of tragedy, loss or joy
in personal or corporate life.
11. Moving with the Spirit
54. Renewal brings out the truth which was already and always given
by the Spirit. Sometimes this truth will have fallen into disuse; sometimes
it may have been deliberately repressed. We recover it and implement it
with joy and thanksgiving.
120 Signs of the Spirit
55. We give thanks for the spiritual renewal that has been evident in
the life of the worldwide church. This renewal needs to be continued and
stimulated by mutual sharing with those inside and outside our churches,
and through the ecumenical movement.
56. The Holy Spirit accompanies us on our ecumenical journey ; keeps
alive the vision that all things in heaven and on earth will be united in
Christ; encourages, corrects, challenges and moves us forward until we
come to our true unity and glory in God through Christ. Come, Holy
Spirit, come !
Recommendations
57. (1) As churches draw closer to each other on the ecumenical
pilgrimage, they are increasingly recognizing the place of Christian life¬
style, spiritual discipline, holiness, a spirituality of active non-violence,
personal and common prayer, worship, art and icons. We therefore call
on the World Council of Churches to explore the various forms and
expressions of ecumenical spirituality, and to consider holding a world¬
wide consultation on this theme.
58. (2) The central role of worship in the Christian life was strongly
emphasized during the discussions in this section. Worship in its richness
has a variety of dimensions and implications: it relates to evangelism,
spirituality, social justice, human values, integrity of creation, unity and
peace, even as it celebrates salvation. This concern for the centrality of
worship should therefore be further developed within the World Council
of Churches. The sharing of liturgical material, music, prayers and forms
of worship should be developed as a means of helping local congregations
to renewal and participation in the spiritual life of the oikoumene. A new
ecumenical hymnbook, including prayers and liturgies, is called for.
59. (3) The World Council of Churches recognizes the role of the
laity, and especially young people, and the significance of lay, renewal,
charismatic and pentecostal movements within the churches. All these
challenge the churches to a greater openness. These movements should be
seen as agents in mission and service. The World Council of Churches
should also continue to develop dialogue with movements, organizations
and Christian communities that are at present outside the structural life of
the WCC.
60. (4) As churches develop worship and theology reflecting their
cultural context, questions arise concerning the relationship between
church and culture. The section urges the World Council of Churches to
develop programmes to support all member churches as they wrestle
The Sub-themes 121
with issues of inculturation and seek to preserve the integrity of the
gospel.
61. (5) As inclusivity has been a major theme of discussion, the
section expresses deep concern that the World Council of Churches
maintain and strengthen programmes to combat racism and other forms of
social, economic, political and religious oppression, and that the special
programme for differently-abled persons be continued.
* * *
PLENARY DISCUSSION
Dr Larry Pickens (Methodist, USA) : The Holy Spirit calls us not only
to forgiveness but to struggle as well. Racism, sexism and exploitation
are unforgivable and require challenge and struggle. Pain and tension
cannot be avoided in the face of injustice. There should also be a focus on
the presence, status and role of children in the oikoumene: children are
threatened by war, violence and exploitation.
Pfarrer Dietrich Werner (Lutheran, Germany): There is an urgent
need for mutual learning between the churches of the North and South,
East and West concerning the missionary renewal of the life-style of local
congregations. A major study on missionary renewal and ecumenical
commitment of local Christian congregations should be undertaken in the
coming period.
Rev. Gordon Straw (Lutheran, USA): When we talk of dialogue
between churches and people who have contact with the land you must
talk to the indigenous people. The history of Western culture has divorced
us from the interconnectedness of the creation. Because of our belief that
all life is sacred we are often accused of pantheism.
Bischof Sigisbert Kraft (Old Catholic, Germany): Our responsibility
in creation is not only given in the eucharist but also in baptism. The
water of baptism binds us to responsibility in the creation as a whole. It is
not a matter left to our choice as to whether or not we want to get
involved.
Frau Ursula Urban (United, Germany): Ninety-nine percent of
people of God are lay even if this is not clear in the assembly. God lives
through the lay people and the WCC should be grateful for that fact.
Rev. Nikolaos Stefanides (Evangelical, Greece): The Greek Orthodox
Church (98 percent of the population) does not recognize the Greek
122 Signs of the Spirit
Evangelical Church. In this assembly they may see us as brothers and
sisters, in Greece they see us as heretics.
Pastor Franco Giampiccoli (Waldensian, Italy): Proselytism is not
clearly defined. In 1960 the WCC rejected proselytism and condemned it
as a form of conquering that takes advantage of unstable situations (fear,
illness, hunger, etc.). But it was not made clear that we should accept
those who have different ways of worshipping.
Mrs Maureen Goodman (Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual Univer¬
sity, England): This is a very generous and open-minded statement,
particularly as it talks of equality with reference to people of different
spiritual understandings and other beliefs. The other crisis we are in now
is the reflection of a very deep spiritual crisis. Spiritual values cannot be
emphasized enough.
Ms Jutta Gerschau (United, Germany): Spirituality has to be lived
and worked through in one’s own context. Spirituality is often seen as
separate from practicality. This should not be so.
Prof. Vlasios Pheidas (Eastern, Orthodox, Greece): The Evangelical
Church in Greece and the Greek Orthodox Church have contact with each
other and have always had good relationships. But there is proselytism
which causes some problems.
Pasteur Isabelle Marc (Reformed, France): A new hymnbook would
be of great help to us. We ask the WCC to publish this in the languages
that have been used here.
Pastor Juan Pedro Schaad (Evangelical, Paraguay) : Thousands of lay
persons have been rediscovering the Bible in worship. There is a lack of
reference to this in the document. Here it is forgotten that the word of God
has a central role. It has helped lay people to combat oppression and go
out together in the life of the world.
4.
The Work of the WCC :
Past and Future
4.1. INTRODUCTION
A central purpose of any World Council assembly is to assess work
done by the WCC since its last assembly and to offer directions for its
work in the coming years. At Canberra, delegates had several resources
to help them accomplish these responsibilities, including the official
report of the central committee, Vancouver to Canberra , and the report
of the moderator of the central committee, Dr Heinz Joachim Held. The
reports of the general secretary, Dr Castro, and of the moderator of the
finance committee of the retiring central committee, Dr J. Oscar
McCloud, helped complete the picture of WCC activities since Van¬
couver.
In his report, Dr McCloud noted that “despite the faithful and
increased giving to its work [by member churches and traditional donor
agencies], the WCC is, on the whole, not ‘better off’ than seven years
ago”. Four factors contribute to this situation: “The cost of living in
Switzerland has risen more sharply than in the previous period... The
exchange values of most income currencies have further declined against
the Swiss franc. A global economic slowdown has begun which means
most donors cannot increase contributions as much each year as they
could in the late 1970s. And the undesignated income to meet the
programme demands and programme initiatives is an even smaller per¬
centage of total Council revenues.”
The WCC, said Dr McCloud, is not in a “crisis” of the sort faced by
the Nairobi assembly in 1975; but “the underlying fragility of the
Council’s situation has become increasingly evident. The reality is that
the WCC cannot continue to do effectively all that it has been doing in the
style and manner of the past. Nor can the Council undertake new
124 Signs of the Spirit
initiatives even from this assembly without discontinuing some of the
present activities.” The number of staff must also be reduced.
There were two primary ways for the assembly to respond to these
reports: (1) through plenary discussion of the presentations by the general
secretary and moderator; and (2) through the work of the Reference
Committee, the Committee on Programme Policy, and the Finance
Committee.
Discussion of the reports of the general secretary and moderator
A wide range of issues was raised during a plenary set aside for this
discussion on Monday, 11 February.
The Rev. Jose Carlos Barbosa dos Santos (Roman Catholic, Brazil),
speaking from a wheelchair, urged greater representation of differently-
abled (“disabled”) persons in the work of the WCC. Ms Ruth Pullam
(United, Canada) urged that steps be taken to increase the impact of the
Ecumenical Decade of the Churches in Solidarity with Women. Ms Mari
Kinnunen (Lutheran, Finland) expressed appreciation that the moderator
had added a reference to a proposed international youth gathering (Brazil,
1992) to the oral presentation of his report; but she also voiced concern
that the Youth sub-unit not be diminished in the future work of the
Council.
Prof. Bastiaan de Gaay Fortman (Reformed, Netherlands) argued that
statements are not necessarily the best way to respond to public issues. Dr
Konrad Raiser (United, Germany) stressed that the mandate from Van¬
couver to develop a “vital and coherent theology” has not been com¬
pleted. He also expressed disappointment that the churches have not
responded to the challenges posed by the Seoul conference on “Justice,
Peace and the Integrity of Creation”.
Archbishop Aram Keshishian (Oriental Orthodox, Lebanon)
warned against a tendency in the life of the Council to focus on the
self-understanding of the WCC rather than on the unity of the church.
Ms Jean Mayland (Anglican, England) called attention to an omission
in the moderator’s report: the question of the WCC’s relationship with
the Roman Catholic Church. “I hope”, she said, “that we will invest
more time and thought in this relationship in the next seven years.”
Prof. Ya Mpiku Mbelolo (Reformed, Zaire) called for the creation of a
commission for cultural education in order to deepen the churches’
understanding of the various cultural contexts of the global Christian
community.
Metropolitan Kalinik of Vratsa (Eastern Orthodox, Bulgaria) spoke of
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 125
threats to ecumenism arising in the wake of changes in Eastern Europe,
including proselytism, fundamentalism, and the increased strength of
Islam. Prof. Abraham Karickam (Mar Thoma, India) voiced impatience
with assembly theological discussion on the Holy Spirit while outside
“the whole world is burning”.
Perhaps the most dramatic intervention came from Archbishop Kirill
of Smolensk (Eastern Orthodox, USSR). It is quite clear, he contended
that “liberal, radical and contextual theologies have a dominant place” in
the WCC. As a result of such developments as the ordination of women
and a “tendency to syncretism”, we are witnessing new divisions in the
church. The WCC is acquiescing to majorities instead of holding to the
apostolic faith. He called for a “radical U-turn” before ecumenical hopes
are exhausted.
In his response the general secretary stressed that the WCC has never
advocated the ordination of women as such, but has invited the churches
to explore the place of women in church and society. We must be patient,
he argued, as we raise these “irritating questions” with each other. Dr
Castro also rejected any notion of syncretism, noting that other religions
have no interest in blending with Christianity. Christian theologians,
however, have “a right and duty” to stretch the boundaries of the church’s
thinking as they seek to relate the Christian message to their cultural
contexts.
Presentation of committee reports
The Reference Committee’s mandate was to review and make recom¬
mendations regarding the reports of the moderator and the general
secretary, as well as the Council’s relationships with member churches,
various ecumenical organizations, Christian world communions, and
other ecumenical partners, including the Roman Catholic Church. At
Canberra, the Reference Committee was also asked to consider a docu¬
ment on “The Unity of the Church as Koinonia: Gift and Calling”,
prepared by the WCC’s Faith and Order Commission and amended by
Section III.
The Committee’s report was presented to the assembly on Tuesday,
19 February, by the Committee’s co-moderators, Ms Vasiti Raiwalui
(Methodist, Fiji) and Metropolitan Bartholomeos of Chalcedon (Eastern
Orthodox, Turkey), and by Dr Konrad Raiser (United, Germany). Vari¬
ous recommendations scattered throughout the report were adopted by the
assembly, including four “guiding principles” concerning the relationship
between the WCC and regional ecumenical organizations. A strong plea
126 Signs of the Spirit
was heard from Oberkirchenrat Walter Arnold (Lutheran, Germany) for
the WCC to take the concerns of evangelicals more directly into
account.
Most of the debate over the report of the Reference Committee
focused on two items : the Faith and Order statement on “The Unity of
the Church as Koinonia” and recommendations regarding the Joint
Working Group between the Roman Catholic Church and the WCC.
After several amendments to the unity statement were approved by the
assembly, the delegates voted to adopt the statement and to send it to
“the churches”. The major challenge to the text as a whole was that the
statement does not adequately celebrate racial, ethnic, cultural and
theological diversity in the church.
A number of issues were touched upon during the discussion of the
Joint Working Group (JWG), including tensions between the Roman
Catholic Church and Orthodox churches, especially in Eastern Europe,
the apparent shift in emphasis from multilateral to bilateral dialogue,
and the sense that ecumenical progress is occurring more at the
“grassroots” than at the international level. Objection was raised
regarding the recommendation to reduce the size of the JWG but,
finally, all six recommendations were adopted. A recommendation from
the floor, calling for a more formal relationship between the JWG and
regional and national councils, was also approved. Following the vote,
Archbishop Alan Clark, Roman Catholic co-moderator of the JWG,
spoke briefly to the assembly.
The report of the Committee on Programme Policy was presented on
Tuesday, 19 February, by co-moderators, Pastora Nelida Ritchie (Meth¬
odist, Argentina) and Dr Soritua Nababan (Reformed, Indonesia). In the
discussion that followed, the JPIC programme received strong support.
The WCC was encouraged to help integrate the goals of JPIC into the
work of the denominations and to serve as a link between the various
JPIC-related initiatives undertaken in the member churches. It was also
stressed that the programme policy report must be read alongside that of
the Finance Committee, given present financial difficulties. The Council,
it was argued, needs to learn how to set priorities more effectively for its
future work.
A number of editorial changes and more substantive amendments were
proposed. Members of the Committee met during the evening to consider
the proposals and reported in the plenary the next morning (20 February)
that all had been accepted. The report was subsequently adopted as
amended.
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 127
4.2. REPORT OF THE MODERATOR
Heinz Joachim Held
1 . My task in this report is to present a review of the work done by the
World Council of Churches since the last assembly in Vancouver. In view
of the short time at my disposal this cannot be more than a brief survey,
highlighting points which I see as important.
For much of the work, and especially for fuller details, you should
refer to the official report presented to you by the central committee in the
book Vancouver to Canberra. The central committee’s written report of
its work and my oral report here will be discussed in the next plenary
session together with the general secretary’s report, and should also be
discussed in the sections and sub-sections.
2. The written report on the work provides a comprehensive account
of the vast range of programme work, studies, consultations, visits and
publications which have filled the life and work of the World Council of
Churches on the road from Vancouver in 1983 to Canberra in 1991. It is
impressive indeed to see all that has been done in these years and I take
this opportunity to express our heartfelt thanks — first to the members
of our staff in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva under the leadership of
our general secretary, Emilio Castro, who as always have continued to
do the work entrusted to them with great devotion and competence at all
levels. But our thanks must also go to the members of programme
committees and working groups which have planned and guided this
work in detail; and to our member churches from which the Geneva
staff and the members of the programme committees come. In this way
we have been able to learn from the experience of the member churches
and be assured of their confidence, financial support and constant
prayers. I think, too, of the many donor organizations within and
outside our churches which have given such generous financial help to
our programmes. But above all we must express our gratitude to the
Triune God who has brought us together in the World Council, who
makes hearts and hands willing for giving and doing and on whose
blessing alone all success depends.
The Vancouver programme guidelines
3. The sixth assembly placed the future programme work of the
World Council under a vision of growth — “the vision of growing more
128 Signs of the Spirit
and more into Jesus Christ, the Life of the World”.1 Corresponding
guidelines were thus set for the WCC’s activities in the years ahead:
Growing towards unity
Growing towards justice and peace
Growing towards vital and coherent theology
Growing towards new dimensions of the churches’ self-understanding
Growing towards a community of confessing and learning
I should like to take these guidelines as the framework of my report
today and refer at the same time to some important priorities in the work
of the last seven years.
A vision of growth
4. Let us pause for a moment to think about the “vision of growth”.
Growth assumes the gift of life. But life is a mystery, a gift which we can
only receive, preserve and cherish. So we are bound to give account to
one another of our work in the past seven years and consider how far it
has indeed served goals such as growth towards unity and towards justice
and peace. If we really take to heart this vision of growing more and more
into Jesus Christ, the Life of the World, we are speaking of a mysterious
process of a properly sacramental nature, a spiritual process. For growing
in grace into a living relationship with Jesus Christ can only happen
through the action of the Holy Spirit. It will be clear then that in choosing
a prayer for the coming of the Holy Spirit as the main theme of this
assembly our intention has been to take up and develop the concerns of
the last assembly.
However, growth is always unfinished, never completed. The process
of spiritual growing and maturing into Jesus Christ, the life of the world,
will go on beyond the period from Vancouver to Canberra. So it seems
that all the programme guidelines fixed for the future work by the sixth
assembly will in fact still hold good for the years ahead.
5. The last assembly seemed to feel the same, for it confirmed
the programme thrusts outlined by the previous assembly in Nairobi
in 1975 and developed them in its own way. These were: the quest
for a truly ecumenical fellowship; the search for an authentic
incarnation of our faith (through common witness to the gospel of
Jesus Christ in word and in action); the struggle for true humanity. I
remind you of these for two reasons: for one thing, because we must
always be aware of the fundamental continuity between this and the
previous assemblies; and for another because, as we think about the
guidelines of Nairobi 1975 and Vancouver 1983, we must realize that
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 129
growing more and more into Jesus Christ, the Life of the World, is a
permanent, ongoing task.
Towards unity
6. Vancouver said: “The search for concrete steps towards the goal of
visible unity must remain a priority in the years ahead. A new dynamic
has developed in this area which should be sustained and promoted.”2 In
this connection, specific reference was made to the reception process of
the Lima convergence texts on Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry which
was in its early stages seven years ago. During these years it has been
going ahead in the churches and its effects have even made themselves
felt in the life of local congregations. In a statement to the churches the
Commission on Faith and Order noted at its meeting in Budapest in
August 1989 that the evaluation of the official responses received from
some 185 churches had revealed “a broad convergence on basic Christian
affirmations”. It has shown “sometimes surprising agreements”. It proves
that the churches had been stimulated to “discussion of their own
traditions and practices ; [that] they show a willingness to change percep¬
tions of other communions’ beliefs, worship and practices”.3 This seems
to me to be no mean achievement. Clearly something has been set in
motion here which serves the growth towards the unity of the faith, a
community of worship and service, across all remaining differences and
divisions. These certainly must not be overlooked, and must call for
continuing in-depth work. No doubt this is a very slow and painstaking
process calling for great patience. Nonetheless, the Lima process in and
between our churches remains a noteworthy and astonishing fact. It is no
small achievement that the churches, far beyond the more immediate
membership of the World Council, have been drawn into a movement of
convergence and are giving account of their convictions to one another in
a binding, long-term multilateral process of theological conversations;
and that they are prepared to bring their own theological and church
traditions into the discussion and to listen and learn from one another and
seek a way forward to full fellowship with one another in faith and in
worship.
7. I can only mention in passing here the other projects undertaken or
continued by the Commission on Faith and Order on the instructions of
the last assembly. I think in particular of the study document “Confessing
the One Faith” which on the basis of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed
aims to arrive at a common expression of the old apostolic faith for the
churches in the world of today. It would be an excellent thing if these
130 Signs of the Spirit
important texts could go through the same kind of study and reception
process in our churches as did the Lima convergence texts. By way of this
reception process, the churches have embarked on a road on which all
involved have expressed their will for binding fellowship with one
another but which has shown us the many difficulties in the way of quick
progress towards achieving that fellowship.
Visits and meetings
8. Clarification of controversial theological and ecclesiological ques¬
tions is, of course, not the only means by which we can foster growth
towards unity. Another important aspect in this is the exchange of visits
among the churches and the visits made to them by representatives of the
World Council. The Vancouver assembly rightly noted that “the growth
and vitality of the ecumenical movement depend on the encounter and
trust between people more than on institutional links”.4
In order to strengthen links with the churches the central commit¬
tee held three of its six meetings between Vancouver and Canberra
away from Geneva, at the invitation of its member churches: 1985 in
Buenos Aires, Argentina; 1988 in Hanover, Federal Republic of
Germany; 1989 in Moscow, Soviet Union. The executive committee
likewise met in March 1986 in Kinshasa, Zaire, and in September
1986 in Reykjavik, Iceland; in September 1987 in Atlanta, Georgia,
USA; in March 1988 in Istanbul, Turkey; and in September 1990 in
Oslo, Norway.
The same purpose was served by the many consultations and con¬
ferences held by the WCC with its member churches and the visits made
to them by its officers, presidents and staff members. I cannot even begin
to enumerate them here.
9. It turned out to be impossible to realize the hope that after the
Vancouver assembly a “regular process of ecumenical visits between
member churches” could be arranged.5 Nonetheless, every opportunity
was taken, for instance in conjunction with meetings and consultations, to
make visits and hold meetings with the churches and church institutions in
the area. The Vancouver assembly’s recommendation that a staff post be
established in the General Secretariat with responsibility for coordinating
and monitoring this process of ecumenical visits was thus not
implemented. However, in its recent discussions about the restructuring
of the Council’s programme work, the central committee was very much
aware that the fostering of relations with member churches should in
future receive special attention in its own right. Our general secretary has
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 131
taken this special responsibility upon himself in these past years and
discharged it to the best of his ability.
Common worship
10. Another way in which we experience growth towards unity — and
by no means the least important — is in the common services of worship
held at ecumenical gatherings and meetings at all levels of church life. In
this respect our last assembly in Vancouver was an unforgettable experi¬
ence. Many participants discovered in a very special way the gathering
and unifying force of worship and prayer. So it is not surprising that the
common worship at our meetings has been so carefully and lovingly
prepared and conducted, as it was for instance at the conference on world
mission in San Antonio, Texas, in 1989, and at the world convocation on
“Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation” in Seoul, Korea, in 1990. I
have the impression that we can see here the gradual emergence of
common ways and forms of praying based on elements of our different
church traditions, which we hope will enable us one day to experience
and express more forcefully our God-given spiritual unity than we feel
free to do at present.
Praying for one another
11. In this connection I would like also to mention the common
service of prayer for one another to which our churches have been more
committed in recent years than they were in the past, whether with the
help of the Ecumenical Prayer Cycle, which was published in a new
edition in 1989, or through special days of prayer when churches living
and witnessing in difficult situations have asked for the prayers of their
sister churches throughout the world: for instance, for an end to apartheid
in South Africa in 1986; for freedom and independence in Namibia in
1987 ; for the reunification of Korea in 1989 ; and for justice and peace in
the Middle East in 1990. The call to prayer for peace and justice in that
region has become all the more urgent with the outbreak of war in the
Persian Gulf.
All in all, the ecumenical movement of the past decades has created
many links among the churches, cutting right across confessions and
continents. These links have often also been between one local congrega¬
tion and another. They have led to exchange of visits, regular intercession
and tokens of solidarity across all political and social boundaries.
If prayer really possesses a unifying power and if it can help loosen
some of our rigid positions, we must continue to devote equal if not
132 Signs of the Spirit
greater attention and energy to this part of our priestly service as God’s
people on earth, not least by taking up the theme of this assembly, which
is a prayer for the coming of the reconciling, renewing and unifying
divine power of the Holy Spirit.
Sharing with one another
12. Under the heading of growth towards unity we must also include
the programme for the Ecumenical Sharing of Resources. After lengthy
preparations this programme, at the consultation towards the end of
October 1987 in El Escorial, Spain, addressed a demanding challenge to
our churches and diaconal agencies in the form of its “Guidelines for
Sharing”. These try to take seriously the fact that “one Lord, one faith,
one baptism” (Eph. 4:5) also calls us to a fellowship of sharing, of
receiving and giving, in the spiritual and the material sense, following the
example in the account of the life of the first local church in Jerusalem
after Pentecost, in the Book of Acts (2:42-47) — an example which
points the way for all the churches. We readjac in the “Guidelines” : “The
new life given by the Holy Spirit in Christ creates us as a new people —
members of one body, bearing one another’s burdens and sharing together
in God’s gift of life for all.”6 No doubt in practice we still have rather a
long way to go before we form a “healing and sharing community within
the WCC and the member churches”,7 as Vancouver put it. Discussion of
this commitment on the basis of faith has scarcely begun in our member
churches and in the World Council itself, even though here and there
steps have been taken in that direction. This points to another way in
which we can grow towards unity. While we do not yet have full
communion in the apostolic faith and in the sacramental life of the
church, we are able meanwhile to express the mutual fellowship we
confess, for which we work and pray and which is promised to us in all its
fullness, through a constantly developing fellowship of mutual sharing,
and the reciprocal giving and receiving of spiritual and material goods and
gifts.
Justice and peace
13. “Growth towards full ecclesial, spiritual and political commit¬
ment to this expression [of justice, peace and respect for the integrity of
all creation] by all member churches, in all their dimensions, should be
one of the purposes of all programmes of the WCC” — so said
Vancouver. 8 This too sets a goal that goes far beyond the period from
Vancouver to Canberra. But it is clear that it summarizes one of the
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 133
overall concerns of our Council in a clear concept and that it is affirmed
by all its programme sub-units. For instance, the world consultation on
interchurch aid, refugee and world service, held in Lamaca, Cyprus, in
November 1986 on the theme “Called to be Neighbours — Diakonia
2000”, developed an understanding of interchurch aid which is deliber¬
ately and determinedly linked with the struggle against all forms of
injustice, poverty and oppression. The Lamaca declaration pledges “from
this day forward, to work for justice and peace through our diakonia”.9
This is a new and different understanding of interchurch aid and diakonia
that goes far beyond the traditional understanding and practice of diakonia
in our churches.
14. Besides its well-known commitment to the fight against the
injustice of the system of apartheid in South Africa, the Programme to
Combat Racism has in recent years become increasingly involved in the
struggle for the recognition of the rights of other oppressed population
groups. It held its commission meeting in 1989 in Madras, India, with the
express intention of having conversations with Dalit representatives and
gathering information about their situation and looking for ways to
support them in their stmggle for the recognition of their human dignity,
for social equality and political liberation. A programme in support of the
Dalits is now in fact to be implemented.
Also in 1989 the Programme to Combat Racism organized an
international consultation in Darwin, Australia, attended by represen¬
tatives of indigenous peoples from all over the world, where the main
issue was their struggle for their right to land and, hence, their survival.
Significantly enough, the theme of this consultation was “Land is Our
Life: Integrity of Creation, Justice and Peace”. The Darwin declaration
adopted at the end of the meeting speaks of the centuries of disregard for
the basic rights of the indigenous peoples and with a sense of urgency
declares “that a state of emergency exists in regard to the survival and
status of indigenous peoples worldwide”. The churches are reminded
that they bear a share of the responsibility for this situation and are
called upon to “confess to having been part of the problem and to rise to
become part of the solution in keeping with the principles of the
gospel”.10
Integrity of creation
15. The assembly in Vancouver, as it were officially, added the third
element, the integrity of creation, to the World Council’s traditional
commitment to justice and peace.
134 Signs of the Spirit
Ecumenical interest in this question is not however wholly new. At
the fifth assembly in Nairobi in 1975 the Australian scientist, Charles
Birch, gave an impressive address in which for the first time the attention
of the wider ecumenical public was drawn to the danger to the creation
caused by human behaviour. He referred to the connection between
human justice and the replenishing of the earth and between human
injustice and the deterioration of the environment. He called for a radical
change in our human behaviour towards the natural world. In line with
this the Vancouver programme guidelines also asked for “a caring attitude
to nature”.11
This threefold formula for an ethic of life in terms of justice, peace
and the integrity of creation has meanwhile established itself and the
indissoluble connection of these three themes is generally acknowledged.
Here the conviction grows increasingly stronger that the integrity of
creation is basic to a life of justice and peace. But we must become fully
aware that the integrity of creation is not only an imperative if we are
physically to survive, but also an ethical act which is theological in
quality, through which we give practical expression to our faith in the
Triune God who is the source of all life and the Creator of the world. Just
as according to God’s will there should, as the first assembly in Amster¬
dam stated, be no war, and just as discrimination, exploitation and
marginalizing of human beings by other human beings is a sin in the
deepest theological meaning of the word, so too, in the last analysis,
disrespect for creation and the destruction of creation can only be
described as an act of godlessness. This fact gives a new relevance to the
injunction of the last assembly to engage member churches in a conciliar
process of mutual commitment ( covenant ) to justice, peace and the
integrity of creation. It is not merely an urgency forced upon us by
outward circumstances but carries with it a significant theological
emphasis the source of which is our confession of faith.
16. It is therefore logical, even if perhaps unusual in many of our
traditions, that at the world convocation for “Justice, Peace and the
Integrity of Creation” in Seoul at the beginning of March last year, ten
basic affirmations of our faith were worked out and approved on the
themes that were to be discussed. They link the confession of faith with
the commitment to corresponding action and attitudes in everyday life. In
the first instance the *kacts of covenanting” arising out of this represented
only a personal affirmation of commitment by the participants. But they
are aimed at something more — they are aimed at mutual commitment by
the churches. Here a path is being followed which perhaps still gives rise
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 135
to many questions of detail but is intended to express aptly the unity of
faith and life, theological conviction and moral action.
Mutual commitment
17. But this is precisely what characterizes the “conciliar process” for
Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation which the last assembly gave
us as a task for the road we have to travel. It really is a new impetus and
for all its troubles and inadequacies it counts as one of the outstanding
landmarks on the road of the WCC from Vancouver to Canberra. For
reasons of our own understanding of dogma and church law many of us
have difficulties with the expression “conciliar process”. We should pay
heed to these scruples. But the meaning it has always been given may best
be described as “growing into mutual commitment” for justice, peace and
the integrity of creation — and not indeed as a task which we are given as
churches to deal with as seems best to us, but as one which we must
regard as part of our ecumenical calling which we “seek to fulfill
together... to the glory of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit”,
in the words of the basis of our constitution. Moreover, one of the express
aims of the World Council is “the promotion of one human family in
justice and peace”. This task has been seen from the start as a mutual
commitment of the churches, as one can see from the message of the first
assembly in Amsterdam in 1948. There it was said:
We have to leam afresh together to speak boldly in Christ’s name both to
those in power and to the people, to oppose terror, cruelty and race
discrimination, to stand by the outcast, the prisoner and the refugee. We have
to make of the church in every place a voice for those who have no voice, and
a home where every man will be at home... We have to ask God to teach us
together to say “No” and to say “Yes” in truth. “No”, to all that flouts the love
of Christ, to every system, every programme and every person that treats any
man as though he were an irresponsible thing or a means of profit, to the
defenders of injustice in the name of order, to those who sow the seeds of war
or urge war as inevitable; “Yes”, to all that conforms to the love of Christ, to
all who seek for justice, to the peacemakers, to all who hope, fight and suffer
for the cause of man, to all who — even without knowing it — look for new
heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness...
Work after Seoul
18. The world convocation in Seoul in March 1990 was, for the time
being, a climax. But it marks only an initial stage, not the end of the
conciliar process of the growing together of churches and Christians into
136 Signs of the Spirit
mutual commitment for justice, peace and the integrity of creation. What
should happen now? At its last meeting in March 1990 the central
committee, in a preliminary evaluation, confirmed “the long-term com¬
mitment of the WCC to the JPIC process up to and beyond the Canberra
assembly”. 12
It suggested two ways of doing this. On the one hand, care must be
taken that the focus on justice, peace and the integrity of creation is
incorporated in our programme work in an organic and binding way.
Then the churches must consider the final document of the assembly for
its acceptability and practicability. Fundamentally there would have to be
an official process of work and reception in our member churches and
other communities, in which these texts could also be related more
precisely to the concrete problems on the spot and in the individual
regions. In this way a growing convergence in convictions and modes of
action could be facilitated in this field of justice, peace and the integrity of
creation.
19. Such further work is also necessary because in the previous course
of the JPIC process some theological questions have remained open, or
have only now been clearly asked and are in need of clarification. Among
them, in the view of the central committee, are the ideas of covenanting
and conciliarity ; also the question of how ethics and ecclesiology tie up
with each other. The plans for future work proposed by the Joint Working
Group between the Roman Catholic Church and the World Council of
Churches in its sixth report may also be useful in this connection —
namely, clarification of what we mean by “the place and mission of the
church in God’s saving and transforming action” and the examination of
ethical questions as new causes for divisions in the church.13
A vital and coherent theology
20. The last assembly voiced a clear disquiet about the lack of
concentrated theological work in the whole field of the programmes of the
World Council:
The theological diversity among the units and sub-units of the Council is
perceived by some as a sign of vitality, by others as a sign of too little
integration and too much division.14
It is true that in the World Council many different theological
traditions jostle with each other and need to be heard. It is also true that
there are new theological approaches and unfamiliar modes of biblical
exegesis which have emerged in another cultural environment or on the
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 1 37
basis of specific experiences and questionings. And we are also discover¬
ing that our traditional theological paradigms are still not yielding any
convincing answers to new challenges nor enabling us to make progress.
So in the World Council one cannot wonder at finding a diversified
theological picture which is often really confusing. But the Vancouver
assembly did not want the various theological traditions and experimental
thinking to remain an incoherent jumble. It was concerned that “there
should be interaction between the diversity of theological approaches”. 15
In this way we should end up by developing a “vital and coherent
theology”. At the end of the road from Vancouver to Canberra it must be
said that despite all the efforts so far made the task we were set still
remains ahead of us.
21. Admittedly it has been hard to agree about what was meant by a
“vital and coherent theology” and how these terms could be turned into
our many working languages. If my understanding is correct, what the
assembly meant was that the relation between theology and life, between
the scholarly discussion of questions of faith and the actual experiences of
conflict which people have in the world of today, must be more strongly
stated. Literally:
For some there is still too great a distance between the daily struggles and
anguish of human life and the technical theological discussion of traditional
doctrinal questions.
Of course it was at once added :
Others fear the disruption of careful theological deliberation precisely
because of the introduction of these struggles into the deliberation process.16
The two concerns thus expressed are not unjustified ; they are repeatedly
voiced from both sides ; and they are still with us. In my view the question
of our success in taking the one concern into account without neglecting
the other is an exacting test of our capacity for fellowship. So we are
talking about theological thinking which is related to the actual life of our
churches and which will on the one hand help them to become one and on
the other hand promote their common action and mutual solidarity in the
struggle for justice, peace and the integrity of creation.
22. The assembly in Vancouver had proposed the formation of a
theological advisory group which would be “representative of all units,
sub-units, and theological perspectives in the WCC and drawn from the
membership of working groups and commissions” and to “consider the
place, diversity and interaction of theological work in all dimensions of
the WCC through critical and constructive evaluation”. 17
138 Signs of the Spirit
The discussions before and during the central committee of 1984 led
to the conviction that the purpose of developing a vital and coherent
theology would probably not be best served by the creation of a separate,
permanent task force. Instead, existing consultative structures should be
more fully used for the necessary theological discussion: for instance, the
central committee itself, the committees of the programme units and the
regular staff meetings in Geneva. The general secretary therefore invited
a number of ecumenically experienced and theologically qualified per¬
sons who have developed their reflections and suggestions on the subject
in meetings and conversations with the staff in Geneva. Among them
were our former president, Dr Jose Miguez Bonino, our present pres¬
ident, Metropolitan Paulos Mar Gregorios, and our former moderator, Dr
M.M. Thomas. Their contributions, with some others from those on the
Geneva staff, were published in our journal, The Ecumenical Review,
April 1988. The executive committee in February 1989 at its meeting in
Geneva also gave the theme thorough consideration in a discussion which
appears in print as an appendix to the relevant minutes of the meeting.
23. We must therefore increase our efforts so that there can be
continuous theological discussion from all sides in the World Council.
BEM, the Lima convergence document on Baptism, Eucharist and
Ministry, demonstrates our growth in mutual understanding and our
ability to reach at least an intermediate stage in common convictions —
but so in their way do the ten affirmations of the world convocation in
Seoul. The need for further theological clarification has revealed itself in
other ways too in our work on our programmes. Thus the Lamaca
conference of 1986 was sure that reflection on the theological fundamen¬
tals of diakonia should be intensified. As I have already said, theological
and ecclesiological studies on the understanding and practice of cov¬
enanting belong to our process of mutual commitment to justice, peace
and the integrity of creation. More work must be done on a common
theological understanding of creation and on an ecumenical social ethics
which takes account of the questions of human survival that are being
asked, even beyond the relatively narrow circle of our member churches.
Finally, the growing, independent theological contribution of women in
our churches and in the World Council represents a challenge to our
traditional theological thinking which calls for both unprejudiced atten¬
tion and critical care.
24. Let me add here two comments on the question of a vital and
coherent theology. First, however much we have to listen on the one hand
to the new approaches and insights of contextual theology, it is equally
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 139
necessary on the other hand to stay within the overall theological tradition
of the church since its beginnings. Throughout the ages it has been
legitimate in the preaching of the church to adopt new theological insights
and answers which relate to changed historical situations, cultural con¬
texts or spiritual and intellectual challenges. But this history of the
transmission of the faith embraces also at the same time critical testing to
see whether what is new stands in a living relationship to the original
gospel as that has been transmitted to us by the apostles.
Communion as a leitmotif
25. Second, we must not look on the effort to find a “vital and
coherent theology” as a purely theoretical exercise in thinking theologi¬
cally. Common theologizing develops out of common experiences both
in worship and prayer and in common commitment to the preaching of
the faith or the achievement of justice and peace. Thus a vital and
coherent theology has to do with the ecumenical experience of commu¬
nity. Community, communion or koinonia, in any event, seems to be
the central concept or rather the decisive reality of life on which
everything is meant to converge and which should be served by all our
thoughts and plans, by all we ask God for and by everything we do
together in the World Council of Churches. All the great programme
undertakings in the World Council are aimed at community, commun¬
ion, koinonia: the unity of the church, the missionary proclamation of
the gospel by word and deed; the struggle for justice and peace, training
in a life-style of healing and sharing ; the defence of human rights ; full
participation in the life of the church ; the dialogue with other faiths ; and
the integrity of creation; and so on. Can the sending of the Son by the
Father in the power of the Holy Spirit be better described than the
coming of God to human beings for the healing and restoration of
communion with God and among each other in a new heaven and a new
earth? So we find that our theological thinking will become “vital and
coherent” when we base it on the experience of the fellowship which we
already have been given and relate it to the gift of complete communion
which we expect as God’s promise to the church. It seems to me that
The Unity of the Church as Koinonia: Gift and Calling, the statement
prepared for the assembly by the Commission on Faith and Order at the
request of the central committee, gives an apt description of where our
churches stand in the quest for unity : between the unity that is a gift and
the unity that is lost, between a renewed experience of communion and
a communion which is still to be realized.
140 Signs of the Spirit
New dimensions of ecclesial self-understanding
26. Among the programme guidelines in Vancouver was growing
towards new dimensions of the churches’ self-understanding — this “in
response to their deepening participation in the ecumenical move¬
ment”.18 I find it particularly difficult to report on whether there has
been progress in this direction, because one can measure only with
difficulty this expansion into new dimensions of ecclesial self-under¬
standing. Moreover it is for the churches themselves to be answerable
for this. I therefore think it would be worth having a mutual exchange of
ideas among the delegates of our churches and all other participants at
this assembly to ascertain whether and how far the self-understanding of
their own churches has been extended, enriched and deepened and in
short has become “more ecumenical” through participation in the
ecumenical movement generally and in the work of the World Council
of Churches in particular. It can only be that ecumenical cooperation
exercises a pervasive influence on all who participate in it and on our
churches as a whole — an influence which will have its effects only in
the long term and for the most part imperceptibly. Through ecumenical
encounter, discussion and acting together in common as Christians and
as churches, all of us have begun to learn to reflect in a different way on
each other and learn from each other in the fields of devotion,
theological work, worship and diakonia. We have also begun to feel
mutually responsible for each other. This is reflected in intercession,
visits, mutual aid and also in critical discussions with each other. In
many respects we are indeed still separate churches and we continue to
bear the marks of our confessional, cultural and even national identity.
Nevertheless, the dividing walls have become lower and we are
increasingly becoming aware that our divisions do not “go down to the
roots”.
27. This movement into new dimensions of our self-understanding as
churches is aptly expressed in the study document appended to the sixth
report of the Joint Working Group between the Roman Catholic Church
and the World Council of Churches under the title “The Church: Local
and Universal”. We read there in sections 33-34:
All churches which participate actively in the ecumenical movement agree
that even where eucharistic fellowship and full communion are not yet
achieved between churches, nevertheless forms of communion do exist. The
churches are no longer living in isolation from each other. They have
developed mutual understanding and respect. They pray together and share in
each other’s spiritual experience and theological insights. They collaborate in
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 141
addressing the needs of humanity. Through bilateral and multilateral dia¬
logues they have achieved remarkable convergences with regard to previously
divisive issues of doctrine and church order. They share, in different degrees,
in the basic elements of communion. It is, therefore, possible to speak of an
existing real though imperfect communion among the churches — with the
understanding that the degrees of expressions of such communion may vary
according to the relationships between individual churches.
This recognition of an already existing though imperfect communion is a
significant result of ecumenical efforts and a radically new element in
twentieth-century church history...
A common understanding of the WCC
28 . The World Council of Churches seeks to help the churches as they
grow into new forms of community and is at the same time an expression
of this growth. In the last few years, not least because of the fortieth
anniversary of the WCC in 1988, the question has again arisen as to how
our churches understand their membership of the World Council of
Churches and whether we can reach a common understanding of our
fellowship in the World Council. Because of this the central committee
asked the general secretary, after discussions at its last meetings in
Moscow and Geneva, to initiate a process of consultation with the
member churches on the common understanding of the World Council of
Churches. An exchange of ideas among the delegates at this assembly is
also envisaged, the results of which should flow into the further course of
this process of consultation. Can we together, humbly and conscien¬
tiously, without either anxiety regarding dogma or ecumenical exuber¬
ance, state the measure of community which has developed or has once
more become recognizable, of which at any rate we have become aware
— in the course of the present century in the ecumenical movement and
through cooperation in the World Council of Churches ? An answer to this
question does not suggest itself primarily because we are on the road from
the fortieth anniversary of the World Council and moving towards its
fiftieth in 1998, but rather for reasons of faith ; for we pray for the unity of
the church, we confess God’s renewing activity in our midst and we seek
to let ourselves be obediently guided farther by the Holy Spirit and we
should be ready to openly acknowledge this under God.
Participation
29. In our churches a changed self-understanding has developed to an
increased degree in another respect — towards the church as a participat¬
ory community. Here the programme guidelines mentioned
142 Signs of the Spirit
the development of a community of healing and sharing within the WCC
and the member churches where women, men, young people and children,
able and disabled, clergy and laity, participate fully and minister to one
another. . . 19
I should like to make only the following few brief remarks.
30. In the last few years in the governing bodies of the WCC we have
consciously striven with, I believe, increasing success, to achieve a better
balance in our centre at Geneva between women and men, between the
various confessional traditions and the individual regions of the world.
The same holds good for the composition of our programme commissions
and that of those who take part in our consultations and conferences. Our
concern was to apply the principle of full competent participation, equal
rights and eligibility for all in the work of the World Council. Some of us
may be put off by the fact that specific quotas were laid down, but it has
kept us mindful that the aim should not be lost to view. It has also helped
us to come closer to it, even if we have not yet actually hit the target
hoped for. Thus, unfortunately, the proportion of women among the
delegates at this assembly will still not be the forty percent and the
number of young people will still not amount to the twenty percent which
the central committee in Hanover had envisaged and recommended to the
churches.
Solidarity with women
31. The Ecumenical Decade of the Churches in Solidarity with
Women was inaugurated at Easter 1988. It is slowly gaining an entry in
the churches and calls on them to acknowledge the crucial contribution
of women in church and society and to put into practice the insights
gained from the study on the community of men and women in the
church as Vancouver 1983 asked.20 The decade is intended to draw the
churches’ attention also to the still existing discrimination against
women in society and help them to see it as part of their calling to
support women in their struggle against poverty, exploitation and
deprivation. But above all it is important to achieve, or at least promote
decisively, the full cooperation of women, with equal rights, in the
theological work, the decision-making bodies and the moulding of the
life of the church. We are to a great extent still only in the initial stage
of realizing these objectives. For the further progress of the World
Council, therefore, the tasks described here will continue to exist
beyond this assembly in Canberra.
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 143
Young people and the differently-abled
32. This also applies to the full and fitting participation of young people
from our member churches in the life of the World Council and in the
ecumenical movement as a whole. The ecumenical global gathering of
youth and students, planned for the end of 1992 with Brazil as the probable
venue, can and must give this a substantial impetus. It is being prepared by
our Youth department in cooperation with other Christian global associa¬
tions of young people and has set itself the target of reconstructing and
revitalizing the ecumenical youth movement. We can only welcome this.
We have to ask ourselves — and rightly — whether we can talk about
wholeness and unity in the life of the church so long as young people, like
women, are denied the place that is rightfully theirs and enables them to
contribute the whole range of their gifts and experience, and of their
commitment. Incidentally this applies also in far greater measure to the
disabled, who form as much as ten percent of the world’s population —
another fact not reflected at all among us in the World Council.
Common confession and common learning
33. The assembly in Vancouver had named “growing towards a
community of confessing and learning” as a fifth programme guideline. A
strong drive towards greater commitment in the cooperation of the
member churches in the World Council can be observed in this connec¬
tion. We might also speak of an urge to move out of relative lack of
committedness. This has been plain to see at the various conferences of
the last few years. In Lamaca in 1986 and El Escorial in 1987 those taking
part chose the language of self-commitment in the final statements. At the
world conference on mission and evangelism in San Antonio at the end of
May 1989 “Acts in Faithfulness” were adopted in which a concrete
commitment confessed by the delegates is set forth. The final acts of the
world convocation for “Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation”
which took place rather less than a year ago have all the more the nature
of a commitment — not just the four “acts of covenanting” that went into
this ; the ten “basic affirmations” of the faith call for and contain specific
commitments to practical action. This is a new feature in the life of the
World Council which for many still raises important questions which call
for a joint effort of clarification.
Committedness
34. This drive towards committedness is in my judgment not only
understandable and necessary in view of the challenges we must meet on
144 Signs of the Spirit
the basis of our faith and in obedience to the biblical gospel, say in the
field of justice, peace and the integrity of creation, I see here too a
justified attempt to give provisional but concrete expression to the vision
of the “one fully committed fellowship” which since the third assembly of
the WCC in New Delhi in 1961 has been defined as the goal to which “all
in each place who are baptized into Jesus Christ and confess him as Lord
and Saviour”21 are being brought by the Holy Spirit.
These attempts at steps and acts of greater committedness in our
common witness to the gospel and in the struggle for human dignity,
justice, peace and the preservation of creation have taken place in various
forms in the areas covered by the programmes I have mentioned. But it is
of crucial importance to the whole fellowship that churches and move¬
ments within the WCC’s fellowship seek and try out ways of achieving
greater commitment in cooperation. I think it is time that we pay special
attention to these questions. That could be something of importance in the
process of consultation with the member churches on a common under¬
standing of the World Council of Churches.
35. Another feature which can be noted in the work of the World
Council during the last few years is the effort to give a comprehensive
expression to the calling of the churches in this world.
Of course this is by no means new. The decision to unite the two
great ecumenical forerunner movements, “Life and Work” and “Faith
and Order”, and found the World Council of Churches, which should
have taken place exactly fifty years ago but because of the second
world war did not happen till 1948, is proof that from the start the
oneness of the ecumenical movement was affirmed and its division into
an “ecclesiastical and theological” and a “political and social” branch
was disallowed. The tension thus created has of course continued to
have its effects through the years. It could be felt at the last assembly
too:
...we have sensed a tension between some of those who are concerned
with the unity of the church and others concerned with the desperate need for
justice, peace and reconciliation in the human community.22
So it is greatly to be welcomed that the Commission on Faith and Order is
continuing to work on its great study on “The Unity of the Church and the
Renewal of Human Community”, through which the relations between
these two basic concerns of the ecumenical movement are examined from
the overall perspective of the promise of the kingdom of God and
hopefully can be convincingly illuminated for everyone.
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 145
A holistic mission
36. Thus the world mission conference in San Antonio at the end of
May 1989 was also concerned with developing a holistic understanding of
the mission of the church today. Using the theme of the cry in the Lord’s
prayer, “your will be done”, it was looking for a means of expressing
“mission in Christ’s way”. Here the central commitment of the church
was affirmed, of preaching the good news of God’s saving love in Jesus
Christ to the millions of people who have still had no opportunity to hear
the gospel and to respond to it;23 but to do so together in unity. Here
God’s command, “to do justly, and to love mercy” (cf. Mic. 6:8) was
recognized as equally binding;24 in solidarity of course with those who
suffer and are struggling for their dignity as human beings. Probably for
the first time at a world mission conference responsibility for creation and
the just distribution of the riches of the earth was numbered among the
tasks of the churches’ mission.25 But what is part and parcel of a “mission
in Christ’s way” and what alone makes it holistic is the spirit of humility
in which it takes place, the will to examine oneself and to renew the
churches in regard to their relations with each other, but also with people
of other faiths or without any religious convictions at all. And this is not
just because critical encounters in the ecumenical movement have made
us very conscious of the conflicting accompanying phenomena of the
modem history of mission but because we affirm the calling to fulfill
mission “in Christ’s way” who was himself “humble in heart” (Matt.
11:29). 26
Financial limits
37. Finally let me say something about the limits we experience in the
work of the World Council; limits which are not new, which we come up
against time and again, which we have not succeeded in overcoming, if
indeed we do not simply have to live with them.
In the financial report of the sixth assembly we read of “the financial
problems that face the Council in the years to come”.27 It cannot be
foreseen that this will fundamentally change in the coming years, so we
are confronted with the question how we can bring the scope of our
programme work into line with our actual income, which has not
increased to the desired extent. We can follow different approaches to
this, either setting priorities clearly — which of course may mean ending
or drastically cutting our existing programme work — or else restructur¬
ing the whole of the programme work, with which the central committee
concerned itself at its last two meetings in the summer of 1989 at Moscow
146 Signs of the Spirit
and at the beginning of 1990 in Geneva, without coming up with any
decisions. This will be the task of the new central committee to be elected
by this assembly. Naturally we also want to try to open up new sources
for funds. In any case that will only be attended to some time from now.
Finally we should also ask the member churches to increase their
membership fees as the Vancouver assembly also did. To a remarkable
extent that appeal has been complied with. However, these considerable
increases in the contributions of our member churches have unfortunately
not led, when all is said, to increased income for the World Council
because of the movements in exchange rates and the general rise in costs.
In my view it is imperatively urgent that the assembly in discussing the
future work of the Council should remain aware of these constricting
financial conditions.
38. Here I should like to add that, in view of the recommendation of
the last assembly that a statement of the financial responsibilities of
membership should be presented for inclusion in the Rules of the World
Council of Churches,28 the central committee at its meeting in Moscow in
1989 approved a relevant section headed “Responsibilities of Member¬
ship” and included it in the Rules at present in force. Naturally the duties
of the members of the World Council of Churches cover much more than
supporting its work financially. They involve among other things active
cooperation in its programme work and active two-way communication.
But in this connection there is a need to stress that all member churches
have to support the budget of the World Council financially too, no matter
how modestly, after conscientiously evaluating what they are able to do.
Unhappily this still does not happen everywhere, and we should look for
ways of implementing this in future.
Reception in the churches
39. In the last few years we have held a large number of conferences
and consultations, among them a number of world conferences; in 1986
on diakonia 2000 in Larnaca, on ecumenical sharing in El Escorial in
1987, the world mission conference in San Antonio in 1989, and the
world convocation for “Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation” in
Seoul in 1990. We may legitimately ask, and must ask, whether on an
overall view that is not too much ; whether we have not asked too much of
ourselves and our churches, above all in regard to the reception of all the
results of our work. When here at this assembly we take account of what
has happened in the World Council since the last assembly in Vancouver
in 1983, we should likewise try to do so also for how much of our work
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 147
has been received in our member churches and by their church agencies in
the movements and groups, and could be really made use of.
We should furthermore ask whether because of the fullness and
diversification of our programmes individually the coherence and transpa¬
rency of the work of the WCC as a whole has become unclear or is in
danger of going altogether by default. This is not a new question. The fact
that it is being asked again at the end of the road between Vancouver and
Canberra shows that we have not finished work on it. I hope we can
conduct discussion on the guidelines for the years ahead from the
standpoint of how the wholeness and unity of the work of the World
Council can make itself felt.
Limitations to what we say
40. We came up against a very painful limitation to our ability to speak
and act together when it was necessary to find a clear word in public on the
situation of political oppression and violation of human rights in Romania,
to help and encourage the victims of an arbitrary political system and
ideological dictatorship which was also paralyzing our member churches in
that country. Here despite intensive consultations and debates we did not
find in our community the freedom and authority which were called for.
Such situations, where tension is pushed to breaking point between making
allowances for the difficult position of member churches and commitment
to clear support for justice and peace and for the victims of human rights
violations, are not a new experience for the World Council, because it
presented itself for instance at the assembly in Nairobi in 1975 when the
issue was freedom of belief in the Soviet Union. We will face such
challenges in future too, in which we may hopefully succeed better in
finding with wisdom and fearlessness the right word for truth and freedom,
for the safeguarding of justice and of fellowship.
Prayer for the Holy Spirit
41. “Come, Holy Spirit — Renew the Whole Creation”. That is a
prayer. And I find that its choice as the main theme for this seventh
assembly of the World Council of Churches expresses a general and very
profound experience of a boundary situation. It is the first time in the
history of the World Council that an assembly is being held with a prayer
as its leitmotif, that we turn with our prayer and reflection to the person
and work of the Holy Spirit and that we seek to become aware of our
moral, theological and missionary responsibility for the whole of God’s
creation. All in all I see us as being in deep need, a need for God, which
148 Signs of the Spirit
Martin Luther expressed in a pithy sentence in his famous hymn “A safe
stronghold our God is still”: “With force of arms we nothing can”. In all
our strivings for the unity of the church, and for a truly renewed Christian
life, for justice, peace and the integrity of creation, for a new fraternal
order of coexistence for the many peoples, cultures and faiths on our
earth, do we not come up against limits, boundaries, frontiers which we
cannot overcome in our own knowledge and strength? We are most
deeply in need of the divine power of the Holy Spirit. We are dependent
on the coming of the Spirit and on the Spirit’s work of renewal in us and
among ourselves.
But that is not everything that is to be said here. In his hymn Martin
Luther also said: “Er ist bei uns wohl auf dem Plan, mit seinem Geist und
Gaben” — “He has indeed appeared in our midst with his Spirit and his
gifts”. The Holy Spirit is at work and we believe in the promise that the
power of the Spirit will be given to those who ask for it. For that reason I
want to close with a prayer to the Holy Spirit (adapting the words of
Anselm of Canterbury):
Come, Holy Spirit,
come, teacher of the humble, judge of the arrogant,
come, hope of the poor, refreshment of the weary...
come, star on the sea, rescuer of the shipwrecked;
come, most splendid adornment of all living beings,
the sole salvation of all who are mortal.
Come, Holy Spirit, have mercy on us;
prepare us for your work,
imbue our lowliness with your power,
meet our weakness with the fullness of your grace ;
healer of wounds and purifier of sins,
You who keep our soul in felicity and comfort us in our distress !
NOTES
1 Gathered for Life, ed. David Gill, Geneva, WCC, 1983, p.250.
2 Ibid., p.252.
3 Faith and Order 1985-1989: The Commission Meeting at Budapest 1989, ed. Thomas F.
Best, Geneva, WCC, 1990, p.26.
4 Gathered for Life, op. cit, p.253.
5 Ibid. , p.253.
6 Sharing Life, report of the WCC world consultation on “Koinonia: Sharing Life in a
World Community”, Geneva, WCC, 1987, p.27.
7 Gathered for Life , op. cit., p.255.
6 Ibid., p.251.
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 149
9 Diakonia 2000 — Called to be Neighbours, report of the Lamaca consultation 1986,
Geneva, WCC, 1987, p.124.
10 Programme to Combat Racism, Review 1989, Geneva, WCC, p.86.
11 Gathered for Life , op. cit., p.255.
12 Minutes of the Forty-First Meeting of the Central Committee, Geneva, WCC, 1990, p.97.
13 Joint Working Group between the Roman Catholic Church and the World Council of
Churches, Sixth Report, Geneva-Rome, 1990, p. 1 8 .
14 Gathered for Life, op. cit., p.249.
15 Ibid. , p.254.
16 Ibid., p.249.
17 Ibid. , p.254.
18 Ibid., p.252.
19 Ibid., p.255.
20 Ibid., p.256.
21 The New Delhi Report, Geneva, WCC, 1962, p.116.
22 Gathered for Life , op. cit., p.49.
23 The San Antonio Report, ed. Fred Wilson, Geneva, WCC, 1991, p.36.
24 Ibid., p., 22.
25 Ibid., pp. 54, 55, 58.
26 Ibid., p.22 (...and to walk humbly with our God); cf. pp. 26-28.
27 Gathered for Life , op. cit., p.241.
28 Ibid., p.243.
Dr Jacquelyn Grant preaching at the celebration of the Lima liturgy.
150 Signs of the Spirit
4.3. REPORT OF THE GENERAL SECRETARY
Emilio Castro
Introduction
1. My initial responsibility is to share with you the process of
wrestling with the main theme, of the interaction that has taken place
between the theme and the changing world contexts. Let us remember
that we selected the theme about four years ago under the full sway of the
Cold War, the threat of nuclear catastrophe, a prevailing mood of
powerlessness. The invocation of the Holy Spirit was conceived as an
affirmation of faith in God’s resources to lead us into the unknown and
uncertain future. Then came the acceleration of history in 1989, with
winds of freedom breaking the rigidities of history and opening doors and
windows to our creative imagination. The Spirit theme — the invocation
— became a clear encouragement to full participation in the renewal of all
human history. And now, do we have new demons replacing the old
ones? With all the talk about “holy war” and “just war” we are again
acutely aware of historical ambiguities. How will the prayer for the Spirit
to come bring about renewal in a world where sin, broken relations and
mistrust remain as tragic realities?
I. “Come, Holy Spirit — Renew the Whole Creation”: the context
of our prayer
2. Four years ago, when the theme was chosen, we could hardly have
imagined the kind of far-reaching changes that have since then overtaken
us. Ideologies have collapsed and barriers broken down. Winds of change
have swept over Eastern Europe and South Africa. But the end of the
Cold War has not ushered in a new era of peace. The prayer we chose as
our theme continues to be as relevant today as it was when we chose it.
3. Hunger and poverty continue to be the lot of great majorities of the
world’s population. People live in despair, or resort to revolt and protest.
Religious and ethnic conflicts, intolerance and violence are as much in
evidence as ever before. No doubt there are signs of hope. Among these is
the dynamism of young people seeking solutions for the problems of the
world, and ideals to guide them into the future. Among them is also the
revolution — we can use no lesser word — that calls for the recognition
of the gifts that God has given equally to women and men and demands
that these gifts should have full opportunity to be used in the life of
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 151
society and in the church. The unheard-of progress of modem science and
of technology gives us visions of a world where the great enemies of
human health may well be conquered.
4. The great religions of humanity, providing meaning and direction
to millions of people, offer the possibility of creative pluralism but also
lead to widespread conflicts. The vitality of the Christian community has
shifted towards- the southern continents where poverty, youth and faith
combine to produce new calls to obedience and to be the church.
5. In such a context, the prayer “Come, Holy Spirit — Renew the
Whole Creation” is at once a recognition of the inadequacy of all human
resources and the affirmation of the faith that God lives. The Spirit, who
hovered over creation like a protective mother bird over her young, is
active and present today in all of creation. Our prayer expresses the
conviction that the human “No” cannot be more powerful than the
creative and renewing “Yes” of God.
6. Yesterday we had the courage to affirm that the Cold War could be
overcome. We had the courage to struggle against racism alongside the
victims of apartheid. We entered into dialogue with people of other living
faiths as part of our Christian presence in the world. Our churches
launched a decade of solidarity with women so that all of us together may
grow into a community of women and men. As a fellowship of churches
we were able to be an instrument of peace in situations of conflict, and to
be a witness of solidarity in the defence of human rights. Let us pray that
in this assembly we may recognize those challenges that are calling for
our responses today, and that we are empowered to follow the guidance of
the Spirit, as a people together committed to the service of the coming
kingdom. Let us listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.
II. Some questions
7. This contribution to the discussions of the assembly will be limited
to clarifying four fundamental questions which have arisen in the course
of its preparation. Our answers to them in this assembly will identify what
witness our churches are called to bear in the world today, and lead us to a
vision of the World Council of Churches which will shape its future,
spiritually, programmatically and structurally.
A. HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE THE THEME?
8. A group of journalists asked recently: “How do we report on an
assembly centred on a prayer addressed to the Holy Spirit? When the
World Council of Churches makes statements on racial, social or political
152 Signs of the Spirit
problems, or on issues such as women’s liberation, we know how to
present them. But the ‘Spirit’ is more than we can cope with. It is a
different language altogether, and our audiences wouldn’t know what to
do with it either.”
9. It is more than a matter of communication. How indeed can we talk
about the Spirit when we are under the sway of “instrumental reason”,
which weighs, measures, monitors and controls everything? It is important
to answer that question if we are to be engaged in what Lesslie Newbigin
calls “a global missionary encounter with modernity”. He writes:
I am asking that the WCC should be and should be seen to be an enabler of
the church’s universal mission to make Christ known, loved and obeyed
throughout this entire global city of which we are all a part. And I am asking
that the WCC recognize that it is not enough to address the symptoms of
modernization; we have to address the causes, the underlying belief systems
which sustain it. We need a theological clarification of the issues involved in
a global missionary encounter with modernity.
The Ecumenical Review, Vol. 42, No. 1, January 1991, p.6
10. In this missionary situation, the notion of the Spirit is a fundamen¬
tal challenge. By invoking the Holy Spirit we affirm communion, justice,
solidarity and accountability as against the pragmatic notions of instru¬
mentality, efficiency and profitability which characterize much of con¬
temporary socio-economic discussions. The notions of chance — arbitrar¬
iness — and necessity figure frequently in contemporary philosophical
and scientific discussions; our prayer claims a place for the notions of
purpose, freedom and responsibility.
a) The Spirit and the created order
1 1 . As we reflect on the doctrine of creation and affirm the Holy Spirit
as the One who energizes the whole creation, we rediscover the radical
interdependence of human beings and the rest of nature. The eschatologi¬
cal vision of the coming kingdom points to the transformation of the
whole cosmic order and not only of human life. In the Orthodox emphasis
on theosis — a way of life in the risen Christ which finally leads to the
divinization ol humanity — the renewal of human life is proclaimed in the
total context of the transformation of all reality. That is to say, we have
come to understand more clearly, both theologically and scientifically,
the interdependence of humanity and the rest of creation. Humankind is
not the owner ol creation. It is part of it. Nature is precious, not only
because of its instrumental service to humankind but also because of its
reflection of God’s glory.
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 153
12. This sense of interdependence is enriched by our belief that
human beings are created in the image and likeness of God (Gen. 1:27). It
is this specificity that enables humanity to accept responsibility for and
interdependence with the rest of nature. The awareness that all creation is
God’s creation must transform our attitudes towards it. We do not
contemplate it from outside it; we are part of it. We do not seek new ways
to exploit it; we seek new ways to relate to it in an attitude of caring
respect. Our spirituality is to be lived out in the service of the transform¬
ing and redeeming purpose of God which embraces the whole of creation.
b) The Spirit and our humanness
13. Closely related to this is our affirmation of the sacred, transcen¬
dent character of human life. Human beings are more than producers,
consumers, citizens. They are unique, unrepeatable beings, created in the
image of God, animated by the Spirit, and not just objects of social
engineering. For example, when we talk of responsible parenthood this is
precisely what we stress, our spirituality and our humanity and the quality
of interpersonal relationships. Thus when we enter into the scientific
debate on experiments with embryos we know we are on holy ground.
When we struggle for the justice due to the powerless we are drawing
attention to the fact that in them Jesus Christ himself comes to meet us. In
the experience of common worship and in personal prayer, we respond to
God’s call to repentance and to God’s offer of love. The presence of the
Holy Spirit, helping us to discover time and time again the image of God
in every human being, will enable us to consider in these debates not
merely what is most desirable in social engineering, but what is most in
keeping with the dignity and freedom of each human being.
c) The Spirit and community
14. In the third place, we must enter into a serious debate on the
spiritual character of our interpersonal and community relations. The
Holy Spirit in Christian theology is the creator of communion, of
fellowship; the Spirit is the bond of union between the Father and the Son
and the One who ensures the unity of humankind in God. We must
develop along these lines an adequate theology of the family, of friend¬
ship, and of human society.
15. This is particularly urgent at the present time when massive
migrations of people, growing individualism and the struggle for
women’s liberation, are all calling in question traditional understandings
of friendship and love.
154 Signs of the Spirit
16. Christian ethics cannot be dependent solely on sociological
considerations, statistics and opinion polls; these cannot define what is
good and what is evil. But the changes taking place even in Christian
families call for a deeper analysis of the values which the church has
traditionally sought to promote and protect. We need to identify those
values of loyalty, faithfulness and mutuality which are the gifts of the
Spirit, setting them free from the sometimes oppressive social forms in
which they were preserved in the past. Human beings, as spiritual beings,
are created for communion, for fellowship. The bonds of relationship
with one’s neighbour — not only those involving religious or even church
solidarity — and the natural bonds of mutual belonging derive from the
Spirit. One of the main efforts of the WCC to articulate this theological
perspective is to be found in the search for an inclusive community of
women and men both in church and society. We are called into commu¬
nity. Our relation with neighbours is not merely “social”; it is a response
to the call of the Spirit.
17. This is true not only of interpersonal relations: it is also important
for the type of community we want to create as a national or worldwide
human society. A philosophy of society which assumes that economic
growth will provide automatic answers to social needs has to be chal¬
lenged in the perspective of the spirit of love manifested in Jesus Christ.
A Trinitarian spirituality demands communion, justice, solidarity, partici¬
pation and openness.
18. In trying to answer the journalist’s question I have simply
described the ongoing task of evangelism which belongs to the Christian
church and the ecumenical movement. Our fundamental task is to tell a
story which begins in a manger and, through the cross, reaches its climax
on the resurrection morning. We believe that here we have the key to
human existence.
19. The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches which
without reserve affirms the Trinitarian faith. We pray, we worship, we
affirm the revealed mystery ol God’s presence in the world. We are called
to a missionary task: to announce new life in the Spirit in polemic
confrontation with the prevailing value systems. Is it difficult to talk
about the Holy Spirit? Undoubtedly it is. But if we start from this vision
ol the Holy Spirit active in the life and death of Jesus Christ, then to talk
about the Spirit is to talk about reality.
20. It is participation in the struggle for the defence of life. It is
sharing in the promise of life in all its fullness (John 10:10). In one sense
our difficulty in communicating a Spirit-centred theme is a judgment on
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 155
our communication values. For it is the Spirit who makes communication
possible.
B. Will the language of the Spirit turn us inward?
21. Journalists are not the only people who have problems with our
theme. For example, social activists are afraid that the language of the
Spirit will distance us from our social responsibility. They ask: are we not
opening the door to abstruse discussions far removed from the existential
reality of struggle and suffering? When social life becomes complicated
and conflictive, are we not escaping to religiosity? Is the language of the
Spirit appropriate for talking of conflicts, of social struggles? Is it not
better suited for talking about peace and reconciliation? Behind these
questions lies a serious concern: will the World Council of Churches not
become so “spiritual” that it loses its identity, its raison d’etre?
a) The Spirit of dynamism
22. These questions reflect the stereotypes and caricatures which
prevail even in our own church circles. How can the theme of the role of
the Holy Spirit distance us from the reality of conflict in history when the
creator God who redeems and sanctifies is the God who acts in history?
Creation is an act of divine will (Gen. 1:2; Job 26:13; Ps. 104:30).
23 . The energies which sustain the universe are a manifestation of the
Spirit. The apostle Paul talks of the eager longing of creation (Rom.
8:21f.) for the liberation that is to come. “To long for” and “to anticipate”
are not passive responses; they represent spiritual attitudes of active
expectation, a willingness to participate in bringing about that which is
awaited. Jesus tells us that the Spirit will speak on our behalf before
tribunals (Mark 13:11). It is the Holy Spirit who equipped Jesus for his
messianic mission (Luke 4:18-19). The Holy Spirit is power for mission
and for witness (Acts 1:8), calling the church into being, and equipping
her with gifts, charisms, for public proclamation (Acts 2). Justice, peace
and joy are thoroughly “earthly” realities which belong in the Holy Spirit
(Rom. 14:17). The body is the temple of the Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19).
24. Confessing Jesus Christ as Lord in the midst of the “many lords”
who claim ultimate obedience is possible only through the presence of the
Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:3). The symbols of the Holy Spirit in the Bible are
symbols of action, movement and struggle. The Spirit is breath, wind, the
dove, fire, the finger of God. It is our faith in the Holy Spirit the Giver of
Life which places us in the midst of situations of conflict. The Spirit leads
us into the wilderness, as Jesus was led, where we find that all our human
156 Signs of the Spirit
resources are exhausted. Leading us out of our obsession to possess,
through the wilderness of self-emptying, the Spirit helps us to say no to
temptations, whether they are religious, economic or political.
25. The church, called into being at Pentecost by the coming of the
Holy Spirit, is a dynamic missionary body sent to serve in the whole
world in the discipleship of Jesus Christ. The WCC, which is a Spirit-
inspired fellowship of churches, never sought to escape from historical
controversies. The Holy Spirit obliges us to be in solidarity with the
downtrodden, to proclaim peace, to uphold human rights, to challenge all
historical reality that seems to militate against the vision of the kingdom.
When UNICEF talks of forty million children dying for lack of sufficient
food, when we see hundreds of thousands of homeless children sleeping
in the streets, we find ourselves confronted with sin against the Spirit.
Racism, sexism, ethnic conflicts and foreign debt are far more than social
or economic problems. They are spiritual problems, an affront to the
Spirit that provokes the wrath of God. In the experience of the WCC we
have learned to speak of a spirituality for struggle/combat, to indicate the
engaging, sacrificial character of our faith.
b) The Spirit of liberation
26. The poor know that the Holy Spirit is present in their conflicts and
struggles. From the black churches in America we have received the
treasure of the “Negro Spiritual” — biblical spiritualiy, consolation in
moments of oppression. It also gave power in due time to ferment and
shake the whole life of the American society. “There is a balm in Gilead
to heal my sin-sick soul...”, but that balm is also powerful to motivate
marches, boycotts, protests, affirmations, liberation. In the Latin Ameri¬
can experience the people are poor and believers; they see no dichotomy
between their demand for social change and the expression of their
religious faith. The oppressed go on struggling and hoping because of
their awareness of the presence of God. They can say with Job: “I have
heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye sees thee” (Job
42:5).
27. The Holy Spirit opens our eyes to see the injustice of the world
and strengthens our spirits to confront it. The Spirit helps us to recognize
the sinful nature of oppression. Our struggle, as the letter to the Ephesians
says, is against principalities and powers. (A warning is necessary here.
In the present conflict in the Gulf there are many attempts to “demonize”
the enemy, to equate our cause with God’s cause. Paul does not provide
justification for any calling to a holy war, or a “just war”. He does not
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 157
refer to “principalities and powers” to anathemize historical adversaries,
but to discern in every conflict both the manifestation of human sinfulness
and the need for spiritual resources to resist, endure and overcome. It is
also a way to denounce evil structures of power that we produce in spite
of best personal intentions (Eph. 6:10-17).
28. Many Christian groups are prisoners of individualistic interpreta¬
tions of the gospel and have difficulties to understand the structural
dynamics in the life of human society. We easily sacralize ideologies
which deify economic success. A fundamental ecumenical task is to
challenge each other, to learn from each other’s experience, to overcome
provincialism, to create solidarity which expresses our common belong¬
ing to the dynamic of the Spirit. In fact, one of the basic aspects of our
ecumenical time is the growing solidarity among churches and peoples’
organizations in the search for a common liberation. In the days ahead we
shall have the opportunity to analyze the conciliar process for Justice,
Peace and the Integrity of Creation. There, the aim is to bring the realities
of our historical solidarities to the centre of our ecclesial fellowship and
communion. I would also like to call your attention to the importance of
our reflection on resource-sharing which is not simply a sharing of the
goods which some may have and others may need; it means a new sense
of belonging together in the movement of the Spirit to confront the
powers of evil.
29. We hear so much today about the philosophy of the market. The
role of the market as a place, a centre of communication between human
beings, can and should be recognized and protected. But we seem to
have lost sight of the spiritual dimension of the market. While the role
of the market as a regulative mechanism for demand and supply may be
defended in terms of its economic successes, it is dangerous to raise the
market to an ideology which defines human life as a whole. Insofar as it
denies the full participation of people in ethical and political decisions,
it becomes a tyrannical force. The tyranny of the foreign debt — the
main murderer in the world today — cannot be overcome by allowing
the very mechanisms that created that situation to continue to operate
freely. A clear denunciation of the greed, arrogance and the moral self¬
justification of the beneficiaries of the present international system
belongs to the ecumenical tradition. It is a situation of collective sin
where we are called to repentance. The Old Testament understanding of
the Jubilee Year of the Lord does yield deep insights as we consider this
problem. The Spirit will amplify the cry of the powerless, will facilitate
alliances which multiply the capacity to confront this calamity and will
158 Signs of the Spirit
stimulate our intelligence to develop responsible mechanisms to over¬
come this tragedy.
c) The Spirit of hope
30. In the Spirit we “hope against all hope”. The Spirit leads us to
look beyond ourselves to a reality yet to come, and beyond all powers and
principalities. Waiting on the Spirit, we discover a world of untapped
resources, and of resistance and hope, which defies analysis in mere
instrumental terms. The Holy Spirit who is the source of our hope also
makes it possible for us to find allies we are unable to identify intellectu¬
ally. It is the Holy Spirit who makes it possible to humanize our struggle.
We are not out to destroy our adversary, but to transform and to actively
hope for redemption.
3 1 . The renewal of the church takes place where we find the Spirit at
work in the world:
Come, Holy Spirit — upset our routine, upset our conformism; enable us
to discover and identify those areas of dehumanization where a word or an
action in your name would make it possible to bear witness to the Spirit in our
human relations. But give us also those new dimensions of solidarity which
will enable us to strengthen networks of mutual aid, and to challenge more
strongly the structures which violently dispossess people. Give us that life in
you, that life in the Spirit which will enable us to work actively for the coming
kingdom, for the renewal of all things in Christ.
III. Discerning the Spirit at work in our time
32. Our prayer recognizes the work of the Spirit of God in the history
of the human race, shaping that history and opening it up to new
possibilities. But can we really hope that in and through and with the
Spirit, new openings and new beginnings in our history can be produced?
We hear cynical talk about “the end of history”; we are asked to
acknowledge the ambiguity of everything that exists and to accept that we
can only have pragmatic solutions to the immediate problems we face.
But the ecumenical movement, on the basis of our faith in the Triune
God, has always maintained an expectant attitude, and earnestly tried to
see the hand of God in historical events. Thus the message of the WCC
presidents for Pentecost 1990 said:
The wind of the Spirit is blowing today, in us, in our churches, and in
historical events where barriers are falling down and where there are pos¬
sibilities of new beginnings. With the people of Namibia we celebrate their
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 159
independence; with the people of Chile their democracy; with the people of
Central and Eastern Europe their newly acquired freedom. Glory be to God
whose gift of dignity is affirmed through the recovery of freedom by these
peoples and who opened in these events new avenues for the service and
testimony which the church renders to Christ in the Spirit.
33. Here we have an interpretation of historical events as manifesta¬
tions of the wind of the Spirit. But a Latin American theologian protests:
“In this paragraph Namibia, Chile and the countries of Central and
Eastern Europe are placed on the same level. I find it regrettable that what
in my view are errors of political judgment should appear in an official
letter.”
34. The Pentecost message points to the possibility of interpreting
historical events from the standpoint of faith. Starting with ideological
presuppositions far removed from those of my Latin American friend, a
group of Christian ethicists have expressed their concern about unqual¬
ified statements of the kind found in reports of our conferences, which
give the impression of insisting on a single ethical norm that excludes all
others. They make an emphatic call for moderation, and say that “our
faith rarely prescribes specific answers to the complex problems of the
world”.
A. The call to discern
35. Logically, any interpretation of history on the basis of theological
convictions is an act of faith. It does not deny the data of human dialogue
and the insights of the social sciences but dares to say a word that calls to
action and supports us when we act. There is a risk, but is it not a lesser
risk than that of neutrality or passiveness that borders on indifference? It
is a risk, but one we live with in the light of the promise that the Holy
Spirit will guide us into all truth (John 4:26; 16:13). We recall that it was
through the Holy Spirit that Elizabeth blessed the child in the womb of
Mary (Luke 1:40-42), and Simeon recognized God’s salvation in the little
refugee child (Luke 2:27f.).
36. The prophets received a precise command: “Speak.” Perhaps we
have been guilty of speaking even when we received no such command?
When we speak, however, in obedience to God’s command, the ecumeni¬
cal community has the advantage that what it says comes out of a dialogue
situation and with the participation in particular of those who suffer in
their local situations and will be living with the consequences of what it
says. This in itself is no guarantee of the rightness of the interpretation or
160 Signs of the Spirit
of the course of action that is recommended. The ambiguity of this issue
is illustrated by three discussions at central committee meetings in
Hanover, Moscow and Geneva on the situation in Romania. In the
analysis of the situation there were no basic differences, but on the course
of action to be taken we had a divided mind. Journeying together
ecumenically provides opportunity for mutual support and correction.
B. The call to venture
37. The second question with regard to historical interpretation relates
to the present content of our reading of history. When we say that the
Holy Spirit is active in history, we are saying that facts or events at a
particular moment create an openness and liberation from the past which
represent new possibilities for humanization and evangelism. We see the
work of the Spirit, the divine wisdom, interweaving events, making
possible links which liberate this or that society from its bondage and
open up new possibilities. Thus, for instance, the people of Namibia have
not solved all their economic, social and political problems. Reconcilia¬
tion is not complete. But the people have a new beginning, a new space
for participation; there is a new chance for people to take part in the
shaping of their own destiny. Thus too the people of Romania, where the
situation is perhaps even more ambiguous, experienced a little over a year
ago the events we all know about — the heroic “disobedience” of a
pastor, the courage of a people — which made it possible for them to
shake off the chains of oppression and open up history. Now there is the
fear that all may be lost, that the demon that has been expelled may be
replaced by seven worse demons. But there are the possibilities of
participation by the people and of a new witness by the church of Jesus
Christ.
38. No situation represents the goal or climax of history; every
situation, when considered in relation to the work of the Spirit, is a point
of departure, an opening up. But this creation of spaces of freedom in
history has to be accompanied by a liberation from the weight of past
guilt, so that the new may really be seen as new.
39. In several countries we have experienced the transition from
military dictatorship to systems of liberal democracy. The end of the
dictatorship was joyfully welcomed by people and by the ecumenical
movement. But the building of just societies and a climate of participation
and social responsibility is hampered not only by international and socio¬
political factors but also by the difficulty of overcoming the cruelties and
sufferings of yesterday. When we come to 1992, it will be very hard to
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 161
forget the genocide of the indigenous nations in the Americas and the
importation of African people as slave labour. We cannot change that
history but we should be able to redeem its memory and transform the
present if, on the basis of that history, we open ourselves to the Spirit who
calls us to build together that which is new. We cannot undo the shoa, the
horror of the extermination camps, or eradicate it from the Jewish
people’s or humanity’s memory. But we can accept this witness to grief
and infamy and turn it into a passionate solidarity in overcoming anti¬
semitism and all oppressive racism.
40. There is no easy reconciliation, no facile forgiveness. Only the
victim on the cross was able to pronounce the authentic word of
forgiveness. Only the Aboriginals in Australia, the indigenous peoples
elsewhere, the blacks of America will be able to pronounce this word of
forgiveness.
41 . Neither the church nor the fellowship of churches can promise that
through human efforts we shall build the kingdom on earth, but we can
and must proclaim that the Spirit opens up history and that it is always
possible and necessary to search for ever more justice and peace. The
opening for freedom is always an opening for participation and new
creation.
IY. Looking to the future
42. Every church is called to discern the manifestation of the renew¬
ing Spirit in the life of their nations. The ecumenical family provides a
forum for reciprocal inspiration and correction. The interaction between
the local and the global is essential to keep our discernment of the Spirit
both relevant and responsible. But from time to time issues seem to be so
pressing that the churches demand an ecumenical concerted response to
them. We have heard the following issues as pressing demands on all the
churches and particularly on the WCC.
A. Religious plurality
43. Interfaith coexistence is a reality of our life everywhere, but here,
as elsewhere, we carry with us the burden of the past. One of the tragic
misinterpretations of the Gulf crisis is to see in it a religious conflict. But
the fact that this could be interpreted in such a way and that we need to
clarify time and time again the total absence of religious motivations in
the present conflict, is an indication of the seriousness of this concern.
44. For churches in Africa, the relation with other religions — in
particular with Islam — has become the most pressing concern. Is there
162 Signs of the Spirit
perhaps in the new pluralism that we see developing everywhere in the
world, due to migrations, a possible way out, a way forward, a
possibility to develop styles of conviviality or living alongside one
another, that could take us beyond the conflicts, from coexistence to an
attitude of reciprocal pro-existence? We would like to see this new
pluralism as a hopeful sign, but we need to raise the question: is it only
a secular world-view that could affirm tolerance and collaboration
among religious traditions? We have gone far in dialogue with friends of
other religious convictions, but now, in the perspective of the Spirit,
could we not discern signs of the Spirit’s actions in other people’s
religious experience? This was a dividing theme in Vancouver as some
of you will remember.
45. But it is evident that we need to develop a theological
understanding of other people’s convictions that could undergird a
process of constructive co-participation in the building of human
societies. The reading of the situations needs to be done in concrete
national and local situations. It is very easy for us to pontificate from
Geneva, or from any other part of the world, on the attitude that should
be manifested by Christians in conflict situations. Those churches and
Christians in their situation need a theological perspective that could be
developed in ecumenical reflection, from a Trinitarian perspective, to
provide recognition of the value and role and vocation of other religions
in God’s providential plan, and at the same time to integrate our
testimony to Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word of God, in that recogni¬
tion.
46. But here, as elsewhere, we carry with us the burdens of the past.
Where are we to begin our history? With the conquest and conversion to
Islam of North Africa? With the crusades of the middle ages? With
Western colonization and Christian proselytism? If we believe that the
Spirit is at work, we shall go to meet the other, longing to find new
manifestations of the Spirit, perceptions of truth, that will help us to grow
in our faith and our commitment to witness to God in Jesus Christ —
which is our specific contribution to the spiritual store of humanity. We
must listen to the Spirit calling us to community and shared goals. This
task is not easy. Cultural and religious diversities and their relation to
power will always be a source of tension and polemics. We are already in
a situation of interdependence. But this is not enough; very often
“interdependence’ hides the reality of paternalism or even religious
imperialism. As we invoke the Spirit we are praying for openness, trust,
the willingness to risk, to share and to love.
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 163
B. Alternative communities
47. We shall look forward to new studies and theological reflections,
searching for guidelines for new social alternatives. During this year,
when the Roman Catholic Church is celebrating the centenary of Rerum
Novarum, the first encyclical on social issues, we expect a new encyclical
from the Holy See.
The reflections on JPIC and the deliberations of this assembly will
also contribute to the processes that would facilitate thinking and
participation by all Christians in the exploration of possible social
alternatives.
48. But simultaneously it is essential in our day to identify the work of
the Spirit in creating little cells of humanization. Neighbourhood groups,
cooperatives, base communities, prayer groups, monastic orders,
women’s movements, centres of artistic creation — all these are creative
elements in a civil society which do not fall within the sphere of the state
or within the power of macro-economic structures. It could be that our
churches, our local parishes, might become similar communities of health
and healing. The WCC’s Christian Medical Commission is engaged in
study and work in this area.
49. Writing in the early 1930s, Nicholas Berdyaeff, the Orthodox
theologian and philosopher, published a book with the suggestive title
Toward a New Middle Ages. Looking at the situation of the world,
especially Europe, going towards the abyss of barbarism and new
paganism, he reminded the world of the important role played by the
monastic communities in the early middle ages.
Those communities could not stop or avoid the chaotic political and
social situation of the time. They did not have any power to control or
change history in its macro dimensions, but they were able to preserve the
real tradition of the church and to offer refuge, protection, hospitality and
spirituality. Philosophy, the arts, the sciences, but also love, hospitality,
liturgy, were protected in those monasteries as values to cherish and from
this the power was received to endure in those difficult situations, the
waiting and the hoping for the day when a new missionary potential
would be developed from this internal and spiritual richness.
50. Something similar is happening today, and it is essential that we
should recognize this spiritual phenomenon. In the present wilderness, in
the absence of alternative utopias, when voices are raised to proclaim the
“end of history”, it is basic to recognize and to search for the action of the
Spirit creating centres of communion, of prayer, of cure, of sanctifica¬
tion.
164 Signs of the Spirit
51. We already see signs of an alternative reality which perhaps
foreshadows the church of tomorrow and/or the more humane society of
the future. I refer to those voluntary movements which offer protection
against anonymity and the loss of individuality. In Western Europe we
witness the dynamic expansion of movements like the Kirchentag and
Taize; centres and communities of worship, reflection and service; new
religious orders full of the Spirit and of ecumenical commitment. These
islands of humanity are emerging both within the churches and outside.
They are deeply spiritual movements where people are struggling for
peace, for safeguarding the environment, for helping refugees, for over¬
coming concrete injustices — all movements of the Spirit creating new
alternatives, transcending our protective and divisive barriers in an
ecumenism which is sometimes called “wild” but which perhaps we
should see as the first-fruits of the coming kingdom. It is important for us
to equip ourselves spiritually and theologically to receive and encourage
these old and new manifestations of the Spirit.
52. Let us pray that here in this assembly, in the small groups which
will be formed, the Holy Spirit will be powerfully present, creating links
of commitment and genuine covenants of humanization.
C. The search for unity
53. The last issue to which I want to direct our attention carries our
prayer for renewal in the Spirit over to the specific field of our calling as
the World Council of Churches, the unity of the church. Are we really
looking for something new, something different, in our quest for unity, or
shall we continue in the routine of discussion without reaching fundamen¬
tal decisions?
54. Do we expect a real breakthrough in the search for the unity of the
church as a response given by God to our prayer for the Spirit, a spirit of
unity and renewal? Here the search for the unity of the church is a real test
of the seriousness of our prayer. Unless we expect something to happen in
this domain where we have a specific responsibility, it will be difficult to
dream of the renewal of the whole creation, it will be difficult to carry
credibility.
55. This is an important question, because when we pray we expect
that our prayer will be answered. And when in the spirit of our Lord’s
prayer we pray for the unity of the church, part of the answer to the prayer
is our responsibility. When we celebrate communion and invoke the Holy
Spirit in our prayer, we are asking for a meal to be turned into an
encounter with Christ himself. And we believe that our prayer is ans-
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 1 65
wered and Christ is present! We must pray for the unity of the church with
the same certainty.
56. The Spirit we invoke, and whose unifying work we await, is the
Spirit of unity (Eph. 4:3). There is only one Spirit just as there is only one
body. Section III will be considering in detail the problem of the unity of
the church and of reconciliation in the world, the very intimate relation
between our vocation to work for the unity of the church and our search
for the renewal of the whole human family. The quest for church unity
needs also to be considered from the eschatological perspective of uniting
“all things in Christ” (Eph. 1:10).
57. Has there been any progress in the journey towards church unity?
Doubtless one can point to many things — the encouraging process of the
BEM reception; the increasing participation of the Roman Catholic
Church in regional and national councils of churches; the recent meeting
of the Christians of South Africa after thirty years of separation; the entry
of new member churches into the family of the World Council of
Churches; the meetings between representatives of the Christian churches
in the two Koreas; the welcome presence here of a delegation from the
China Christian Council; the recent theological agreements concluded by
representatives of the Eastern Orthodox and the Oriental Orthodox
families, bringing them close to full communion after 16 centuries of
separation; the conciliar process for Justice, Peace and the Integrity of
Creation, with its regional meetings, and the world convocation in Seoul.
No doubt you can all add to this list which tells us that the ecumenical
climate is very different from what it was a few years ago. And yet two
concerns should receive renewed attention:
a) The need to move towards our goal
58. Although cooperation between the churches is increasing, the
processes of unity are slowing down. The relationship between Rome and
the WCC has reached a level of mutual acceptance of differences in
nature and structures and a mutual appreciation of the constraints on each.
The question of the Roman Catholic Church’s inclusion in a world
ecumenical structure — whether the present WCC or whatever new body
would be created to facilitate this integration — is no longer a pressing
issue. The Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios I raised this question when he
visited the WCC in 1987 but we have not been able to follow up on the
hopes he expressed. It is not, however, just a question of this loss of
enthusiasm for unity between ecclesiastical centres. The problem is more
serious. It looks as though, with the growth of the means of communica-
166 Signs of the Spirit
tion and an increasingly conscious option for plurality, our division is
more and more accepted as an inevitable fact of life.
59. Not that there is any lack of good will for church unity. But there
is a lack of ardour and impatience. It is taken for granted that we cannot
get beyond our confessional divisions. Thank God there is no dearth of
groups living in Christian obedience who recognize themselves as mem¬
bers of the church of Jesus Christ and dare to proclaim and live out a unity
which the authorities of their churches are not yet ready to recognize.
Thank God we have a growing number of confessionally mixed marriages
which are proving to be ecumenically significant. As the World Council
of Churches we need to call for the presence of the Spirit, shaking our
confessional complacency and awakening in us the zeal for the full
manifestation of the unity of the body of Christ.
Come, Holy Spirit — renew in your people the hunger for unity; renew
the sense of guilt over division; renew the awareness of our unity in You, and
heighten our imagination and our will to try to express this unity in forms
which may be recognizable to the world for which we wish to bear testimony
so that it may believe in the Christ who sends us.
b) The need to express the communion we have
60. The second great concern has to do with the obvious fact that
convergence towards doctrinal unity does not necessarily imply corre¬
sponding progress in the field of unity. Particularly through Faith and
Order and bilateral dialogues the contemporary ecumenical movement
has worked systematically on the doctrinal differences which developed
in the course of history. But doctrinal unity does not seem to succeed in
overcoming the divisions of history. Thus the reconciliation of our
histories — of the interpretations of our common history — is indispens¬
able for the unity of the church. Over the centuries we have emphasized
so much the heresies of others that when we are called to express
solidarity we have to conquer images of separation which have no place in
an ecumenical age.
61. When we see the difficulties Christians have in understanding
each other or, worse still, when we listen to stories of violence against
Orthodox Christians in the Ukraine, or of the secular authorities in
Slovakia ordering a hundred church buildings to be handed over to the
Greek Catholic Church — with the immediate corollary that the Orthodox
communities have no place where they can worship — we are in the realm
of counter- witness, the fundamental negation of the gospel. Here it is not
theological differences that separate us, or prevent people from using the
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 167
same church building at different times of day. Here we are in the realm
of emotions, histories, caricatures, political manipulations and mutual
ignorance. We shall have to address ourselves specifically to the places of
conflict, so that a spirit of fraternity and prayer may help build the bridges
which will make it possible to overcome history for the sake of the new
project the Holy Spirit wants to achieve. The WCC has a ministry in the
world’s conflict situations and we send delegations and organize encoun¬
ters to overcome such conflicts, maybe it will become necessary to
organize a similar kind of service so that churches can help churches in
overcoming their internal divisions and their conflicts with their Christian
neighbours.
62. Allow me to refer to a particular concern close to our heart. The
main aim of the ecumenical movement is to promote the unity of the
churches in one “eucharistic fellowship”. It is more and more frustrating
that this has not been realized. We are able to be together in confronting
the most divisive problems of humankind, but we are not able to heal our
own history and to recognize each other within our common tradition.
This came very painfully to me when praying for peace in the Gulf
region. We participated in services of eucharist where half of the
Christians present could only be passive participants. How can we expect
to overcome divisions of life and death in the world when we are not even
able to offer together the sacrifice of the Lord for the salvation of the
world? If we affirm that the people of faith, the church, is called to
witness to the saving and liberating purpose of God for the whole creation
(Eph 3:8-11), if the unity to which the Lord calls us is “so that the world
may believe” (John 17:21), then the church should be able to fully
intercede for the salvation of the whole world (1 Pet. 2:9). The one church
is and should be a parable and a reality anticipating the one humanity. We
still have much doctrinal work to do, but we also need to keep alive this
nostalgia for the table of the Lord. This should be the last assembly with a
divided eucharist! It is not only a passionate cri de coeur... it is also the
awareness of our real spiritual danger to prolong an ecumenism without
openness to the surprises of the Spirit. Our common pilgrimage will not
endure long without the holy anticipation of the kingdom.
63. I do not elaborate on other fundamental issues of the search for
unity which will be developed in depth in Section III. Here I only refer to
the relation between the table of the Lord and the “liturgy after the
Liturgy”, that sharing of life, that witness to God’s love which is the
fundamental vocation of the church. We cannot renounce the unity we are
given in Christ. Our one way forward is dialogue, encounter, reconcilia-
168 Signs of the Spirit
tion and the visible unity of the church. We cannot take refuge in old
injunctions which ban praying with heretics. We have already prayed
with them and the Spirit has answered our prayer! The past cannot have
proprietory rights over the present: we cannot be prisoners of our divided
history.
c) An opportunity to renew our commitment
64. The WCC will be organizing its world conference on Faith and
Order in 1993 — thirty years after Montreal. There we shall seek to
recover enthusiasm for the unity of the church and to concentrate our
thinking and prayer on the search for possible models of unity.
65 . But every aspect of our life and work needs to wrestle with these
questions: What does the experience of communion in grassroot faith
communities, the spirituality of the poor, say, teach, demand the united
church to be ? What does the renewed commitment to the community of
women and men say for our model of unity? What have we learned in the
struggle against racism, in the search for the healing community, in the
joint proclamation of the gospel, in the attempts to affirm human rights
and in the overcoming of human conflicts? What do the youth say to
divisions in the body of Christ? What is the impact of our actual encounter
with people of living faiths on our search for church unity? How will a
divided church help solve the ethical dilemmas confronted by modem
science and technology? What has the reality of our communion, of the
unity already being experienced in our sharing of resources and our
common responses to human need, to teach us? How does our common
prayer life in the WCC reflect and reinforce our search for unity? Every
one of our churches has to face the question: What are we as a church
contributing to the search for unity?
66. Ardently seeking unity in those places of conflict between
Christians, we shall recover something of the moral authority to proclaim
unity to the people of the world. The church is called to be a sign and
instrument of the reconciliation of all of humankind. Here in Canberra we
have gathered to celebrate our unity. In the power of the Spirit let us
resolve to pursue it at all times, so that the church may truly become what
our Orthodox friends call it: “the permanent epiclesis of the Holy Spirit”.
V. Epilogue
67. So let us pray: “Come, Holy Spirit — Renew the Whole
Creation!” We are called to be one missionary movement engaged in
dialogue and discussion, courageously confronting the value systems
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 169
prevailing in our world today. We are called to be stewards of life in
relation both to nature and humanity; we are called to be committed
followers of the Spirit in the historical events, opening space, building the
future, redeeming the past; we are called to manifest the first-fruits of the
una sancta to come, to indicate by the reality of our fellowship and by the
intensity of our prayer the anticipation of the coming kingdom.
We are seeking the true community of Christ which works and suffers for
his kingdom. We seek the charismatic church which activates energies for
salvation (1 Cor. 12). We seek the church which initiates actions for
liberation and supports the work of other liberating groups without calculating
self-interest. We seek a church which is the catalyst of God’s saving work in
the world, a church which is not merely the refuge of the saved but a
community serving the world in the love of Christ.
Minutes and report of the assembly of CWME, Bangkok, p.89
Here is the challenge that lies before us as we seek a “common
understanding of the role and nature of the World Council of Chur¬
ches”. This assembly in which we are already experiencing the reality
of being in communion is a foretaste and a promise of what God will
be doing in the future through the vivifying and transforming activity
of the Spirit.
Amen.
4.4. REPORT OF THE REFERENCE COMMITTEE
I. The moderator’s report
1 . The Committee wants to express its gratitude to the moderator for
his report which gave a thorough and balanced analysis of the many
achievements, and challenges still to be met, in the life of the WCC since
Vancouver. Particular attention should be given to the call to achieve
greater committedness in the cooperation of the churches and full expres¬
sion to it in the areas of unity, holistic mission, reception of WCC work,
and financial support to ecumenical endeavours.
2. We welcome the moderator’s proposals to continue the Justice,
Peace and the Integrity of Creation (JPIC) process beyond the Canberra
assembly. Especially, the Committee acknowledges the need to clarify
the terms of covenanting and conciliarity, so that the relation between
ethics and ecclesiology may become evident.
170 Signs of the Spirit
3. The Committee acknowledges the efforts that have been made to
implement the request of the Vancouver assembly to develop a “vital and
coherent theology” in order to bring into a coherent perspective the
theological work being done in all the programmes of the WCC. Despite
all efforts made so far, this task still remains unfinished. The Committee
suggests that the future development of a “vital and coherent theology”
within the WCC should be in relation to the continuing JPIC process,
BEM reception and other basic tasks.
4. The Committee also commends the challenge to promote visible
unity and to assess the ecumenical experience of community/communion
and its implications for the total life of the WCC, for our ecclesial self¬
understanding and new vision about the future of the ecumenical move¬
ment.
5. In this context, with the moderator, the Committee urges continued
support for the WCC’s commitment to the Ecumenical Decade of the
Churches in Solidarity with Women. Similar encouragement should be
given to the participation of youth and the differently-abled in decision¬
making, including within the WCC.
II. The general secretary’s report
1 . The Committee responded with enthusiasm to the general secreta¬
ry’s visionary call to perceive the work of the Holy Spirit in persons,
communities and countries, as it opens up possibilities or confronts the
misuse of creation.
2. We acknowledge his reminder that matters are more complex than
they appear; that interdependence may mask paternalism; that in some
places there is no sense of urgency over issues of unity and mission ; that
political situations may be so complex that no single course of action may
be argued.
3. The Committee takes into consideration the general secretary’s
positive attitude of looking to the future, towards religious plurality as a
basic framework for the churches’ work and self-understanding. We share
his desire to develop styles of conviviality that could take us beyond
conflicts, from co-existence to an attitude of reciprocal pro-existence.
However, the Committee recognizes the need to enter into further
discussion with the aim of clarifying the interaction between gospel and
culture (e.g. the issue of syncretism).
4. We respect with gratitude Dr Castro’s passionate plea to promote
the unity of the churches in one “eucharistic fellowship”. We share his
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 171
frustrations that this has not been realized and his wish that Canberra
should be the last assembly with a divided eucharist.
III. Relationships with member churches
1. Since Vancouver extensive team visits involving staff and
members of the central committee, commissions and working groups
have been organized. In the immediate future preference should be
given to those member churches who have not been visited during the
past seven years. In view of the financial limitations, any such visits
must be carefully prepared and followed up. The development, cultiva¬
tion and coordination of two-way relationships between the WCC and its
member churches, as well as with groups and movements within the
churches, should receive priority attention in terms of staff time and
resources.
2. The essential growth in relationship between the WCC and the
member churches depends largely on the degree of information which the
member churches have on the major issues being discussed within the
WCC. At this time when the WCC is reorganizing its communication
services, it must take clear account of this aspect. A possible contribution
here could be the publication of an official quarterly newsletter informing
the member churches of the major issues, and giving the most important
documentation on the agenda of the various commissions and committees
of the Council.
3. Since the Vancouver assembly the participation of both Eastern and
Oriental Orthodox churches in the life of the Council has grown. The
involvement of representatives of Orthodox churches in WCC program¬
mes, conferences and consultations has become more dynamic, ecumeni¬
cally committed and creative. This was clearly illustrated and acknowl¬
edged by primates and eminent representatives of Orthodox churches,
particularly during the visit of His All Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch
Dimitrios I to the WCC headquarters in 1987. The commitment to
strengthen ecumenical cooperation was also reflected in the decisions of
the third preconciliar pan-Orthodox conference (Geneva, 1986) and in
other documents and publications. These events prepare a new perspec¬
tive on sharing the common responsibilities with other WCC member
churches for the future of the ecumenical movement.
4. The Committee shares the joy of both the Eastern and Oriental
Orthodox families at their coming closer to restoration of full unity. The
WCC has been instrumental in providing a forum for dialogue and mutual
commitment of the Orthodox churches. Their experience can provide a
172 Signs of the Spirit
model to advance and celebrate unity among sister churches which have
been divided for many centuries.
5. The Committee commended united and uniting churches which
have played a special role in the fulfilment of the functions and purposes
of the WCC. Their efforts towards structural expression of unity and the
inter-relationship of theology and action should be an example for many
other churches.
6. Recently the WCC has followed closely its relationships with
churches in Central and Eastern Europe as they received religious
freedom and are facing new problems. The Committee would like to ask
for a more coherent ecumenical approach to urgent issues and missionary
tasks in Eastern Europe, in cooperation with the Conference of European
Churches and other ecumenical partners in Europe.
IV. The unity of the church as koinonia : gift and calling
This document, requested by the central committee, prepared by the
Faith and Order Commission, discussed and amended by section III at the
Canberra assembly, is recommended for adoption by the assembly and
transmission to the churches.
THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH AS KOINONIA :
GIFT AND CALLING
1 . 1 The purpose of God according to holy scripture is to gather the
whole of creation under the Lordship of Christ Jesus in whom, by the power
of the Holy Spirit, all are brought into communion with God (Eph. 1). The
church is the foretaste of this communion with God and with one another.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of
the Holy Spirit enable the one church to live as sign of the reign of God and
servant of the reconciliation with God, promised and provided for the
whole creation. The purpose of the church is to unite people with Christ in
the power of the Spirit, to manifest communion in prayer and action and
thus to point to the fullness of communion with God, humanity and the
whole creation in the glory of the kingdom.
1.2 The calling of the church is to proclaim reconciliation and provide
healing, to overcome divisions based on race, gender, age, culture,
colour, and to bring all people into communion with God. Because of sin
and the misunderstanding of the diverse gifts of the Spirit, the churches
are painfully divided within themselves and among each other. The
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 173
scandalous divisions damage the credibility of their witness to the world
in worship and service. Moreover they contradict not only the church’s
witness but also its very nature.
1.3 We acknowledge with gratitude to God that in the ecumenical
movement the churches walk together in mutual understanding, theologi¬
cal convergence, common suffering and common prayer, shared witness
and service as they draw close to one another. This has allowed them to
recognize a certain degree of communion already existing between them.
This is indeed the fruit of the active presence of the Holy Spirit in the
midst of all who believe in Christ Jesus and who struggle for visible unity
now. Nevertheless churches have failed to draw the consequences for
their life from the degree of communion they have already experienced
and the agreements already achieved. They have remained satisfied to co¬
exist in division.
2. 1 The unity of the church to which we are called is a koinonia given
and expressed in the common confession of the apostolic faith ; a common
sacramental life entered by the one baptism and celebrated together in one
eucharistic fellowship ; a common life in which members and ministries
are mutually recognized and reconciled ; and a common mission witness¬
ing to the gospel of God’s grace to all people and serving the whole of
creation. The goal of the search for full communion is realized when all
the churches are able to recognize in one another the one, holy, catholic
and apostolic church in its fullness. This full communion will be ex¬
pressed on the local and the universal levels through conciliar forms of
life and action. In such communion churches are bound in all aspects of
their life together at all levels in confessing the one faith and engaging in
worship and witness, deliberation and action.
2.2 Diversities which are rooted in theological traditions, various
cultural, ethnic or historical contacts are integral to the nature of com¬
munion; yet there are limits to diversity. Diversity is illegitimate when,
for instance, it makes impossible the common confession of Jesus Christ
as God and Saviour the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb. 13:8);
and salvation and the final destiny of humanity as proclaimed in holy
scripture and preached by the apostolic community. In communion
diversities are brought together in harmony as gifts of the Holy Spirit,
contributing to the richness and fullness of the church of God.
3 . 1 Many things have been done and many remain to be done on the
way towards the realization of full communion. Churches have reached
agreements in bilateral and multilateral dialogues which are already
bearing fruit, renewing their liturgical and spiritual life and their theol-
174 Signs of the Spirit
ogy. In taking specific steps together the churches express and encourage
the enrichment and renewal of Christian life, as they learn from one
another, work together for justice and peace, and care together for God’s
creation.
3.2 The challenge at this moment in the ecumenical movement as a
reconciling and renewing movement towards full visible unity is for the
seventh assembly of the WCC to call all churches:
— to recognize each other’s baptism on the basis of the BEM document;
— to move towards the recognition of the apostolic faith as expressed
through the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed in the life and witness
of one another;
— on the basis of convergence in faith in baptism, eucharist and ministry
to consider, wherever appropriate, forms of eucharistic hospitality;
we gladly acknowledge that some who do not observe these rites share
in the spiritual experience of life in Christ ;
— to move towards a mutual recognition of ministries ;
— to endeavour in word and deed to give common witness to the gospel
as a whole ;
— to recommit themselves to work for justice, peace and the integrity of
creation, linking more closely the search for the sacramental com¬
munion of the church with the struggles for justice and peace ;
— to help parishes and communities express in appropriate ways locally
the degree of communion that already exists.
4.1 The Holy Spirit as promoter of koinonia (2 Cor. 13:13) gives to
those who are still divided the thirst and hunger for full communion. We
remain restless until we grow together according to the wish and prayer of
Christ that those who believe in him may be one (John 17:21). In the
process of praying, working and struggling for unity, the Holy Spirit
comforts us in pain, disturbs us when we are satisfied to remain in our
division, leads us to repentance, and grants us joy when our communion
flourishes.
* * *
Y. National Christian councils (NCCs)
Since the Vancouver assembly 22 churches and 10 NCCs have joined
the fellowship of the WCC. Relationships with NCCs were nurtured by
frequent contacts and strengthened through a world consultation in 1986.
The Reference Committee endorses the plans for a third world consulta¬
tion or a smaller meeting with leaders of NCCs to be held in 1992. A
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 175
permanent framework of relationships with NCCs as communities of
churches rooted in a specific context has to be set up in the near future.
The question of mutual accountability between the WCC and churches or
councils requires further attention. The Committee recommends that the
agenda of the central committee in 1991 include an item concerning
relationships between the WCC and NCCs with particular reference to the
involvement of NCCs in drawing up proposals for the restructuring of the
WCC.
VI. Regional ecumenical organizations (REOs)
1. The Committee acknowledged that efforts have been undertaken
since the last assembly to bring more clarity and transparency into the
relationships between the various ecumenical bodies. However, concern
was expressed that the relationships between the WCC and the regions
were still lacking in coherence and that earlier patterns of thinking in
terms of “centre” and “periphery” were not fully overcome. The regions
set their own priorities and cannot easily be fitted into a global
framework. In addition, there are more and more examples of inter¬
regional cooperation without mediation through the WCC. This will
ultimately have to be reflected in the way programmes are being formu¬
lated and resources allocated.
2. The Committee noted that the WCC El Escorial consultation (1987)
and the JPIC process provided a solid basis and perspective for good
ecumenical coordination and cooperation. It further welcomed the prop¬
osals submitted to the staff on “Guiding Principles for Relationships and
Cooperation between the Regional Ecumenical Organizations and the
World Council of Churches”.
The Committee recommends the acceptance of the four affirmations
in the “Guiding Principles”:
The REOs and the WCC affirm that:
1 . The oneness of the ecumenical movement implies the recognition of the
principle of complementarity in their relationships and functions, globally,
regionally, nationally and locally.
2. The ecclesial nature of the councils or conferences of churches confers
a preferential character on their relationships with each other, with churches
and church organizations.
3. Their primary function within the one ecumenical movement is to
serve, enable and challenge the local churches, in the one common mission
which includes the manifestation of visible unity amongst the churches.
176 Signs of the Spirit
4. Their relationship is one of partnership based on sharing of informa¬
tion, mutual trust, help and reciprocity.
In this regard the Committee places particular emphasis on the following
points : (a) the oneness of the ecumenical movement ; (b) our openness for
contact beyond the REOs and the WCC ; (c) how we relate to one another
as partners in a complementary and non-hierarchical manner.
The Committee is convinced that steps need to be taken urgently to
translate the affirmations into a commonly agreed policy spelling out
the criteria that should guide everyday cooperation. It is, therefore,
recommended that an agreement on procedures for cooperation be
worked out in consultation with the general secretaries of REOs to be
submitted to the central committee at its meeting in 1992. It is further
recommended that in the future allocation of staff resources provision
be made for the strengthening of cooperation between the WCC and
the REOs.
VII. Christian world communions (CWCs)
1. The Committee is pleased that since Vancouver the relationships
with CWCs have been marked by growing participation, mutual trust and
closer cooperation. The WCC and the CWCs have developed and
enriched their relationships in the framework of the annual conference of
CWCs, common agenda of reflection and discussion, statements on
common concerns, mutual consultation, visits and participation in each
other’s major events. It was agreed that this process was enhanced by the
several official visits to Geneva, especially the historic visit of His
Holiness Pope John Paul II, and by regular consultation among the CWCs
with headquarters in the Ecumenical Centre. This applies especially to
relationships between the WCC and the Lutheran World Federation
(LWF). The CWCs’ specific ecumenical tasks are undertaken in relation
to the broader ecumenical activities of the WCC. The partners seek to
engage in programmes of common ecumenical interest, sharing resources
and avoiding duplication.
2. The Committee noted the increase in the number of bilateral and
multilateral dialogues and welcomed the fact that these dialogues, which
used to be held primarily in emergency situations, are now regarded as
normal events in ecumenical relationships.
3. The Committee appreciates the results of the fourth and the fifth
forum on bilateral dialogues (1985, 1990) and recommends that the
WCC, as facilitator of these forums, take the necessary steps to document
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 111
the interaction and complementary role of bilateral and multilateral
dialogues.
VIII. Relationships with other world bodies and ecumenical part¬
ners
1. The Committee encouraged the continued collaboration between
the WCC and various Christian organizations such as the WSCF and the
YMCA/YWCA which place emphasis on ecumenism among lay persons.
The Committee strongly recommends that the WCC intensify its efforts to
develop an ecumenical consciousness among lay members of the church
and their active participation in the ecumenical movement.
2. The Committee commends also development of relationships and
collaboration with the Frontier Internship in Mission, the World Confer¬
ence on Religion and Peace, and some Roman Catholic organizations. It
noted with appreciation that the WCC has given greater attention to
evangelical organizations particularly the World Evangelical Fellowship
and the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization as well as to
“evangelicals” within the WCC. While the Committee recognized and
welcomed the existence of much good will and some progress, the need
was expressed for a stronger collaboration between the WCC and the
evangelical bodies (cf. Vancouver to Canberra , pp. 12-13).
IX. Relationships with the Roman Catholic Church (RCC)
Ever since the fourth assembly of the WCC at Uppsala (1968),
following shortly after the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council, it
has become a regular feature of WCC assemblies to welcome an official
delegation of representatives of the Roman Catholic Church. The pre¬
sence of this delegation symbolizes the closeness of relationships in the
one ecumenical movement between the RCC and the WCC. Archbishop
E. Cassidy, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian
Unity, brought a message from Pope John Paul II. We express our
gratitude for the presence of our Roman Catholic sisters and brothers
among us and for their manifold contributions to this assembly.
A. A survey of the state of relationships
Throughout this assembly, in plenary sessions, sections, groups, etc.,
frequent reference has been made to the fact that the deepening of
relationships between member churches of the WCC and the RCC is a
notable feature of the ecumenical movement at the present time. Reports
indicate that there has been siginificant progress in relationships in all
178 Signs of the Spirit
regions, particularly on the local level. Ecumenism is alive at the base
where people live and struggle together.
One significant manifestation of this new state of relationships is the
growing number of national (35) and regional (3) ecumenical organiza¬
tions with full Roman Catholic membership. More recently new ecumeni¬
cal instruments including the RCC have been created for Britain and
Ireland as well as separate instruments for England, for Scotland and for
Wales, and in France, where the new Council provided the framework for
a joint declaration on the Gulf war together with Muslim and Jewish
leaders.
Some contradictory signals, however, remain. Thus, it was reported
from a number of situations that relationships were still — or once again —
rather formal and limited to contacts on the official level of church leaders
without touching the lives of people. Urgent concern was expressed about
the dramatic deterioration of relationships between the RCC and Orthodox
churches in several countries due to problems created by Greek-Catholic
(Uniate) communities, in spite of the official agreement reached in the
context of the Orthodox-Roman Catholic official dialogue.
While this Committee had to concentrate its discussion on the struc¬
tured relationships between the RCC and the WCC at world level as they
are reflected in the sixth report of the Joint Working Group, it is important
that such reflections be placed in the wider context of developing
ecumenical relationships on the local, national and regional level. No
single pattern or uniform set of criteria would apply to all these relation¬
ships, which develop very much in response to the needs of Christian
communities in their particular context. It is important, however, that the
WCC use all the means at its disposal, i.e. through regular contacts with
national and regional ecumenical organizations and through exchange
with member churches, to monitor and to foster the growth of ecumenical
relationships with the RCC.
B. Response to the sixth report of the JWG
The sixth report presents an impressive survey of the joint activities
between the RCC and the WCC since the Vancouver assembly. The
report gives due visibility to a number of accomplishments, but at the
same time does not seek to hide difficulties or failures. While some would
have liked to receive through the report a fuller and more differentiated
picture of the ecumenical situation (cf. I), the report does point to the
important factors which have influenced this particular relationship in the
past period.
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 179
A number of features of the report deserve to be mentioned specifi¬
cally :
1 . Within the priority of the “Unity of the Church — the Goal and the
Way” the JWG has commissioned two special studies on “The Church:
Local and Universal” and on the notion of “Hierarchy of Truths”. Both
studies have resulted in reports which have been published together with
the sixth report of the JWG. While they do not pretend to present final
conclusions, both study documents promise to stimulate common ecu¬
menical discussions and are, therefore, commended to the churches for
close attention.
2. Still in the area of unity of the church, but closely linked to the
concerns of social collaboration, the JWG has begun to explore whether
and how ethical issues (e.g. nuclear armaments and deterrence, abortion
and euthanasia, procreation, genetic engineering and artificial insemina¬
tion) can become new sources of potential division. This project, which
has begun with surveys in selected local contexts, deserves fullest
attention and support (cf. III.A.lc).
3. Mention should also be made of the initiatives which have been
undertaken in close contact with, or directly through, the JWG aiming
at: (1) a deeper reflection on the significance of the growing number
of national and regional ecumenical organizations with RC member¬
ship; (2) a renewed exploration of the question of “mixed marriages”
and their ecclesiological significance for the ecumenical movement (cf.
III.A.ld+e).
4. The concern for common witness has been at the heart of the
work of the JWG during these last 15 years. This was highlighted
especially through the joint declaration published on the occasion of the
visit by Pope John Paul II to the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva (1984).
Many of the initiatives in this area, some of them identified specifically
in the JWG study document on common witness (1982), have developed
further and given a new profile to local and national ecumenical
cooperation (cf. II.A.3a+b).
5. Much of the regular cooperation between various departments of
the WCC and the Vatican is hardly noticed any more but taken for
granted. The sixth report provides a very helpful survey of this close and
intensive network of cooperation that has developed between the parent
bodies of the JWG. This is the place to express gratitude for the
dedicated work of staff and committee members on both sides which in
many instances serves as inspiration and gives legitimacy to similar
efforts in local and national situations.
1 80 Signs of the Spirit
These positive and encouraging developments should not, however,
cover up the fact that the report points to a number of unresolved
difficulties and recurring obstacles :
6. The fifth report of the JWG had recommended that one of the priority
areas of common study and reflection be the task of ecumenical education
and formation. Unfortunately, this initiative could not be brought to a
conclusion so far, in spite of considerable effort on the part of the JWG.
Since the urgency of the matter has not diminished, every attempt should be
made to conclude the work begun as early as possible, (cf. III. A. 2).
7. After the termination of the mandate of Sodepax the JWG formed
the Joint Consultation Group on Social Thought and Action (JCG). It was
intended to provide a flexible framework for exploring concrete pos¬
sibilities of social collaboration between the departments directly con¬
cerned on either side. In spite of considerable effort the JCG did not prove
to be workable and had to be dissolved. This underlines the particular
difficulties existing for collaboration in the field of social thought and
action.
8. The problems became sharply visible in the context of the ecumeni¬
cal process on Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation, and particu¬
larly regarding the invitation extended to the RCC to be a co-sponsor for
the JPIC world convocation in Seoul (March 1990). In the negative
response to this invitation attention was drawn once again to “the different
nature of the two bodies”. Nevertheless, the Roman Catholic Church not
only sent a group of twenty qualified advisers to the Seoul convocation,
but has contributed substantially to the process on world level, including
the decision to provide staffing and financial support. There are indica¬
tions that the RCC is prepared to remain actively involved in any
continuation of the JPIC process.
With these observations and responses the Reference Committee
recommends that the assembly receive the sixth report of the JWG and
express its appreciation to all who have contributed to this important task.
C. The way ahead
1. More than 25 years have passed since the establishment of the
JWG. Most of its original mandate has been fulfilled and Roman Catholic
participation in the ecumenical movement has become a normal feature.
After the decision not to pursue any further — at least for the time being
— the question of “membership”, the mandate, structure, working style
and composition of the JWG were reviewed at the time of the Nairobi
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 181
assembly in 1975. It would seem now that another review is called for
as has been suggested by the WCC central committee at its meeting in
1990.
2. The sixth report of the JWG makes several proposals for streng¬
thening the role of the JWG (cf. IV. 1). This is being echoed by the central
committee which asks that the mandate of the JWG not be limited only to
collaboration between the departments in the WCC and the Vatican, but
that it should give “permanent and careful attention to ecumenism at local
and regional level” ( Minutes 1990, p.82). The central committee also
asked that the status of the JWG be redefined and that the composition
include more representatives of the different regions.
3. This call for a strengthened, more effective and more visible role of
the JWG has been made several times in the course of the last 15 years
without much response. There are objective reasons which have pre¬
vented a change of policy on the part of the parent bodies of the JWG
(especially lack of funds). Officially, the JWG is expected to focus on the
task to promote, monitor and coordinate relationships and cooperation
between the RCC and the WCC on the official, structural level. For this
task, which of course needs to be placed in, and informed by, the wider
context of ecumenical relations at all levels, a coordinating group, mainly
at staff level, would be sufficient.
4. The sixth report has strongly recommended that the agenda of the
JWG be more limited and focused. The group should, therefore, be
liberated from the task of monitoring ongoing collaboration. Rather, a
newly composed JWG should be requested to concentrate its attention on
a substantive review of the relationships between the RCC and the WCC.
It should, in particular, analyze more deeply the obstacles which have
prevented the relationships from developing even more fully. Based on
the affirmations made in the recent study report on “The Church : Local
and Universal” regarding the understanding of ecclesial communion (cf.
No. 26ff.) and referring back to the statement on “the common ground”
included in the fourth report of the JWG (1975), the JWG should aim at a
common acknowledgment of the ecclesial character of the relationship
which has grown between the RCC and the fellowship of churches in the
WCC, and suggest ways of giving more substantive expression to it. The
JWG should investigate possibilities to set up visible signs of collabora¬
tion between WCC member churches and the RCC, examining in particu¬
lar whether on the threshold to the next millennium a pre-conciliar
conference could be held which would seek binding steps towards
complete unity.
182 Signs of the Spirit
5. It is therefore recommended:
a) that the Joint Working Group between the RCC and the WCC be
reconstituted for a period of up to six years with the primary task of
assessing afresh the basis and common ground shared by the RCC and
the WCC and developing new perspectives for giving shape to this
relationship ;
b) that the JWG seek to carry out this task in close contact with CWCs in
dialogue with the RCC, and also place it in the context of the ongoing
process of redefining the vision and self-understanding of the WCC ;
c) that in addition to this primary task the JWG direct and supervise the
completion of the unfinished initiative in the area of “ecumenical
formation” (cf. III. A. 2 and IV. 2B) and “ethical issues as new sources
of potential divisions” (cf. III.A.lc and IV. 2A);
d) that no new major project of the JWG be undertaken until its primary
task is completed and a report presented to the parent bodies allowing
them to agree on a new framework for the relationship ; this process is
expected to be completed by the time of the next WCC assembly at
the latest;
e) that the task of monitoring and promoting regular cooperation
between departments in the WCC and the Vatican be entrusted to a
small coordinating group;
f) that the JWG be composed of six persons from either side represent¬
ing the constituency and two members of staff. Given the specific task
entrusted to the JWG (5.1), due consideration should be given to the
special competence needed to deal with these issues. The two co¬
moderators together with the four members of staff shall form the
“coordinating” group. Both groups shall be entitled to invite consul¬
tants as their agenda requires ;
g) that the JWG set up a formal relationship with the JWGs within
regional ecumenical organizations and consult fully with NCCs where
the RCC is a full member or which work closely with the RCC, with a
view to gathering experience in undertaking the primary task of the
JWG.
* * *
The Reference Committee wishes to express appreciation for the work
of WCC staff in the area of relationships with member churches and other
partners in the ecumenical movement.
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 183
4.5. REPORT OF THE
PROGRAMME POLICY COMMITTEE
I. Mandate of the Committee on Programme Policy (CPP)
a) to receive and evaluate the official report of the central committee,
Vancouver to Canberra , and to propose formal action on this report;
b) to formulate policy for future WCC programmes, taking careful note
of proposals that emerge at various points in the assembly;
c) to prepare a report which, together with the Message (prepared by the
Message Committee) and the assembly report (prepared by the Report
Committee), will summarize the essential findings of the assembly.
II. Vancouver to Canberra
The CPP recommends that the assembly receive the report Vancouver
to Canberra 1983-1990 with appreciation for the clear, concise and
comprehensive manner in which it is presented, and with gratitude to the
governing bodies, the general secretary and staff of the WCC for
faithfully carrying out most of the mandate of the Vancouver assembly.
The CPP makes the following comments about the report:
A. The report offers a helpful overview of the work of the WCC since
the sixth assembly. The preface by the moderator, the introduction by the
general secretary and “A Reader’s Guide” from the editor establish a good
basis for understanding the specifics of the work described in the report.
The theme concerning the centrality of Jesus Christ as the Life of the
World is evident throughout the work.
However, we propose that future reports give (a) fuller assessment of
the impact of programmes on member churches; (b) better evaluation of
the work of the units indicating emerging trends; (c) fuller assessment of
how the policies have been implemented in the programmes; (d) an
overview of the relationships between the WCC and its member churches.
B. The Vancouver mandate relative to fuller participation of women
and youth has been addressed in the work of the WCC since Vancouver.
The Ecumenical Decade of the Churches in Solidarity with Women and
the global youth gathering scheduled for 1992 are evidence of this.
However, the report indicates that these goals are yet to be achieved, and
therefore must remain priorities. The 1993 world conference on Faith and
Order should provide for the full participation and contribution of women
and youth.
The Committee regrets that there is no substantive report on the basis
on which to evaluate how we have grown in the area of gospel and
184 Signs of the Spirit
culture. Further the CPP observes with regret that there is only. one area of
the report that gives an account of the important contribution of youth in
the WCC.
C. The CPP notes the critical financial situation of the WCC due to
problems of exchange rates, inflation and insufficient growth in the
financial support from member churches proportionate to increased pro¬
gramme costs. The fact that one-third of the member churches take no
financial responsibility for the Council is a matter of great concern.
III. A review of the implementation of the Vancouver guidelines
A. Growing towards unity
We have yet to develop adequate criteria and indicators by which to
assess progress in relationships among member churches. The CPP notes
with satisfaction that the response to the Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry
document from member churches has been very encouraging. The evalua¬
tion of the responses from 185 churches reveals a broad measure of
convergence in regard to the basic Christian convictions as articulated in
the document. It has enabled the churches to look critically at their own
traditions and to be willing to change their attitudes towards other
churches. This certainly is a step towards unity. Other documents may
also go through this process of study and comment by member churches.
Sharing of ecumenical resources is also part of our growth towards
unity. El Escorial 1987 is a landmark on this road though in actual
practice we have a long way to go. The fellowship of mutual sharing is
something we can achieve while we continue to work for fellowship in
faith and in sacramental life. We regretfully recognize, however, that for
some of our member churches, some activities of the WCC lead to
tensions and questions, but through these tensions and questions we
should grow towards greater mutual understanding and unity.
B. Growing towards justice and peace
The Vancouver assembly said that commitment to justice, peace and
the well-being of the whole creation should be one of the purposes of all
programmes of the WCC. In general, sub-units had this aim before them
in their programmes. The specific effort made through the JPIC process
has served to awaken member churches to the urgency of the issues.
In the last seven years we have seen important movement towards
liberation, justice and peace for which we give thanks to God. The
WCC’s share in inspiring some of these changes has not been insignifi-
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 185
cant. Periodic actions and public statements, letters from the general
secretary, visits to areas of conflict by WCC teams, support to churches
and groups in their struggle against poverty, oppression and racism, have
all been helpful.
C. Growing towards a vital and coherent theology
Our common faith in the Triune God, and in the incarnation, death
and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ is the common core that holds us
together in our diversity, and should be the basis for coherence in our
different theological expressions. While Faith and Order deals with this
directly, the other programmes have also been involved in finding a
common ground for action. Some lack of coherence is natural in a
fellowship like the WCC. Nevertheless, the quest for a coherent theology
is crucially important and must remain a priority. In this context, it is
important to bring contextual theologies into dialogue with “classical”
theologies in order to develop an ecumenical way of doing theology. Such
a method must be faithful to the apostolic faith and appreciative of local
cultures through which the gospel is expressed and lived.
D. Growing towards new dimensions of the churches’ self-understanding
It is difficult to specify whether anything concrete has been achieved
in this area. Has there been a developing self-understanding by each of
the member churches as a result of association with other member
churches of the World Council? In the general secretary’s words: “This
challenge is one which we will continue to explore together.”
E. Growing towards a community of confessing and learning
Confessing Jesus Christ is integral to our being an ecumenical family.
All programmes of the WCC serve this vocation. Consultations on world
mission and evangelism have signalled that confessing Jesus Christ as
Lord and Saviour in a pluralistic world requires unity in mission. The
whole process of JPIC seeks to be a witness to the love of God for all
humanity manifested in Jesus Christ. Our programmes for the struggle
against racism are a testimony to the power of the gospel to break all
chains of oppression.
The CPP also notes that meaningful learning has taken place during
the period under review. WCC has produced some materials in forms
suitable for use at the congregational level, and promoting participatory,
experiential and interdisciplinary methods of learning. The Bible study
resources produced in preparation for the meetings of Lamaca, El
186 Signs of the Spirit
Escorial, San Antonio, Seoul and this assembly have been particularly
important.
IV. Vision for the future work of the WCC
The vision from the assembly for the future work of the Council must
be related to the functions of the WCC as given in its constitution, namely
the goals of visible unity, the common witness of the churches and the
service of human need. We must begin by reaffirming and concentrating
on these goals.
A. Unity of the church
The unity of the church is not something we create but a gift of God
which we should receive humbly, promote responsibly and enjoy grate¬
fully. Our common commitment to the fundamentals of Christian faith
continues to call and hold us together. That commitment permits us to
appreciate the richness of our diversity of gifts, traditions, cultures and
races. At this assembly we have experienced powerful reminders that the
Holy Spirit breaks down barriers and restores community. But we have
also experienced painful reminders of continuing brokenness. We under¬
stand the role of the WCC to be at the service of the churches in
responding to the call of the Holy Spirit to make visible our unity in
Christ.
This gift of unity requires that we give attention to all that fragments
the body of Christ. The Holy Spirit calls us to acknowledge the unity that
exists among us and to overcome all barriers in order to be able to share
our gifts and ministries while on our common spiritual journey towards
visible unity. Our ability to enable the truthful sharing of differences
among us is a sign of the strength of our unity of faith.
Only through this unity in Christ are we able to express our
calling to be in mission in a suffering and hurting world. We
welcome the call for common theological reflection and a comprehen¬
sive discussion on the nature and mission of the church in the
perspective of unity as koinonia in the Holy Spirit. Through our
participation in struggles for justice and liberation we share a com¬
mon unity through solidarity with all of humanity and can become
ecumenical in the fullest sense.
B. Justice, peace and the integrity of creation
In this assembly we have realized more intensely that the Holy Spirit
lays upon us the task which Jesus himself accepted. The Holy Spirit opens
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 187
our eyes to see the injustice of the world and strengthens us to resist and
struggle against oppression and the devastation of creation.
The Holy Spirit calls us to work together towards just social systems
and towards a sustainable environment. We seek a world of social and
economic justice and care for those who are vulnerable and dispossessed.
We seek a world in which all participate in decisions which affect their
lives. We seek a world based on the biblical vision of economic and
ecological reconciliation. The vision of justice, peace and the integrity of
creation needs to become embodied in the realities of our contextual
situation. This calls for a broad cooperation with secular groups, between
the churches, and with people of other faiths.
We confess that nations which claim to be Christian shoulder a
substantial part of the blame for the present global military-industrial-
technological civilization insofar as it breeds injustice, ferments wars and
disrupts the eco-balance. The struggle for justice, peace and the integrity
of creation may entail the questioning of some of the values on which this
civilization is based. This vision should enable the WCC to focus on the
central ethical concerns of our time.
Working towards justice, peace and the integrity of creation will help
the churches understand their task in the world, provided we develop a
rigorous social analysis, deepen our theological reflection and vigorously
promote these concerns. This has emerged as the central vision of the
WCC and its member churches as they face the next assembly when they
can give an account of their efforts to fulfill the covenants made for JPIC.
At Vancouver it was assumed that participation was implied in the
concept of justice, because justice includes participation in power; how¬
ever, participation in itself has not received the attention it should. Our
future work must be based on local, national, regional and inter-regional
contexts. We need to intensify and deepen concrete analysis of the root
causes and institutional structures of injustice. Inter-racial, inter-regional
and multicultural interaction is essential to new understanding and action
without domination of one culture by the other.
C. Wholeness of the mission of the church
A reconciled and renewed creation is the goal of the mission of the
church. This mission requires that the search for the sacramental com¬
munion of the church be more closely linked with the struggle for justice
and peace. Both these dimensions point to the church as the healing
communion in Christ through the Holy Spirit. Wholeness of mission
requires that barriers be broken down locally and globally.
188 Signs of the Spirit
The mission of the church must include other issues for the sake of its
wholeness. First, at this assembly we have frequently addressed the way
in which the gospel inter-relates with culture. Too often the mission of the
church has been a rationale for injustice to indigenous peoples. Particu¬
larly today, it is important to remember this as we look towards the
commemoration of the conquest of Latin America five hundred years ago
in the name of the gospel, a misuse of mission.
A second concern for a mission with wholeness is the just sharing of
resources among all members of the body of Christ. We seek to better
utilize the rich insights and guidelines for resource-sharing already
available to the WCC.
A reconciled and renewed creation requires attention to these and
many other issues which challenge the wholeness of the community of the
people of God.
As we seek to share the message of Christ in word and deed, may we
express a holistic evangelism as an ecumenical task of the whole church,
rather than of some particular individuals, remembering also that each
church acting in mission is acting on behalf of the whole church. The
WCC should undertake the task of helping to equip the churches to fulfill
their mission.
While we celebrate the presence of the Holy Spirit in the churches, we
are aware that the Spirit is not confined to the churches. We rejoice in our
experience of salvation in Christ but recognize the possibility of the
presence of the Spirit of God among people of other faiths.
In increasingly plural societies where inter-religious conflict is often a
source of injustice and violence, there is a new urgency for interfaith
dialogue and for joint action for the well-being of humanity and the
creation. The Holy Spirit calls us to engage in dialogue to mutually share
our faiths, and to work together for justice, peace, and the integrity of
creation.
The wholeness of mission lays on us the necessity for encounters of
gospel and culture and witness in a secularized world.
V. Style of work
A. Assembly
There is full justification for meeting together once every seven years
to celebrate our common faith and witness; however, the cumbersome
nature and the current patterns of the assembly call for serious evaluation
of the role of the assembly as an efficient way of democratic policy-
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 1 89
making. There is need for solid biblical and theological input which could
become the primary thread that binds the assembly together. Intensive
biblical studies should accompany our prayers for renewal. Less time
should be spent in presentation plenaries where the delegates can only be
passive observers and more time given to plenaries and other formats that
promote intensive participation in assembly processes which will better
enrich the assembly experience. Delegates should be strongly encouraged
to study the theological and other materials that the WCC and their
churches publish in preparation for the assembly.
B. Committees, consultations and other events
Emphasis on participation is crucial. Careful planning and leadership
preparation are essential to enable maximum participation.
Large world conferences should be kept to a minimum. Every attempt
should be made to bring different programme concerns into one confer¬
ence or to have regional conferences. Financial restrictions facing the
WCC demand more careful budget planning for all events.
C. Participation of the whole people of God
We are convinced that the participation of the laity must be streng¬
thened through increased emphasis on lay training and formation in all
aspects of ecumenical learning.
We expect that the participation goals for women and youth will be
maintained in all events and in membership of committees. The central
committee should assure funding only for those activities which reflect
approved goals of inclusiveness.
We also encourage increased participation of differently-abled per¬
sons and persons of varying theological traditions including charismatics,
pentecostals and evangelical Christians with ecumenical perspectives.
We urge that greater attention be given to the needs of persons from
different cultural and language groups and that the WCC language policy
be reviewed.
We urge that ways be found to encourage participation in the
ecumenical movement and vision without continually underlining and
reinforcing the divisions we wish to overcome.
D. Staff operations
More effective and efficient use of staff resources is needed. The
current financial situation underlines the need for improved coherence of
the work of different programmes. We therefore:
190 Signs of the Spirit
— question the need for so many sub-units;
— encourage cooperation and sharing;
— urge that duplication be avoided.
We are aware that the outgoing central committee has addressed some
of these issues of institutional strengthening. Given the urgency of
concerns facing the WCC and the limited financial resources available,
we urge that the central committee give continued attention to these
matters.
The Committee acknowledges that the recommendations for pro¬
gramme emanating from this assembly will need to be prioritized. This
will be a task for the new central committee.
VI. Programme policies that should undergird and inspire all WCC
programmes in the coming years
The Holy Spirit calls us to renewal. This renewal means bringing out
the truth which was already given by the Spirit. It requires a conscientious
effort to act with resolve on our long-standing commitments as well as
creating new emphases. More than ever it is necessary to concentrate on
the following basic concerns.
A. Renewal through reconciliation
Christians see truth in different ways and are divided from one
another by history, doctrine and culture, yet at the same time they are
united in Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. When we pray to the
Spirit of unity to reconcile us we become conscious of the need for
repentance, reparation and renewal.
The primary task of the WCC is to call the churches to the goal of
visible unity in the context of the unity of all humankind, through
programmes that foster reconciliation and healing. In the years after this
assembly, member churches should study and analyze the remaining
obstacles in relation to the recognition of each other’s baptism, the
acceptance of a common creed, mutual recognition of ministries, and
eucharistic participation. While differing in our ecclesiologies we should
be willing to address and challenge these differences from an ecumeni¬
cal perspective. Christian movements should be able to give their
contribution to this pilgrimage towards unity. More attention should be
given to contextual theology, inculturation and a deeper analysis of the
causes of disunity.
There can also be deep divisions between Christians and people of
other faiths, even though they share a common humanity and face
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 191
common challenges and tasks. Dialogue with people of other faiths must
continue to be promoted, particularly for cooperation in our common
quest for justice, peace and the integrity of creation. Such dialogue is
urgent in situations throughout the world where religious communities are
divided by fear and mistrust.
B. Renewal through freedom and justice
The freedom which we enjoy as a gift of the Spirit is not only internal
and personal. It is a freedom which we are also called to experience in
community.
We must continue to address spiritual and physical ill-health evi¬
denced in unfulfilled lives and unjust socio-economic systems that per¬
petuate societal barriers in our world.
The Spirit of truth re-establishes and restores the integrity of the
human person and human relationships within community. However, as
Christians, we constantly experience the danger of becoming captives of
systems and structures that defy this truth.
Since we are free in order that we may give witness to the justice of
the kingdom of God, we reaffirm our challenge to resist injustice, be it
economic or political, cultural or social, of gender, race or ecology. The
issues of justice, peace and the integrity of creation provide us with an
effective framework for accomplishing these goals. The power of the
Spirit moves us to strive for the building up of just societies within our
local, regional, national and international contexts.
C. Renewal through a right relationship with the creation
The divine presence of the Spirit in creation binds us as human
beings together with all created life. But through misinterpretation of
our faith and because of human greed the earth we live in is in peril.
The signs of the time are an invitation to repent and to establish a right
relationship with the whole creation. This requires a new vision and a
new understanding of ourselves and God’s creation. Therefore the WCC
must address itself to the need to develop a new theology of creation
which will enable the churches to play a meaningful role in the renewal
of creation as part of their mission as well as a new ecumenical
understanding of the relationship between ecology and economy. In
carrying out this work, the WCC should seek the cooperation of others
who have similar concerns. In this regard we particularly recommend
that special attention be given to the struggle against racism, giving
priority to the rights of indigenous people.
192 Signs of the Spirit
D. Renewal through enabling the full participation and contribution of
women
Deepening the churches’ solidarity with women in the church and in
the whole society should find a central place in the continuing work of the
WCC. We need to continue to strengthen the solidarity of each member
church with women, to fully receive their gifts, contributions and per¬
spectives. The goals of the Decade of the Churches in Solidarity with
Women need to be visibly expressed in all activities and work by,
through, and encouraged by the WCC. Churches are to act resolutely on
this concern and to uphold the goal of visible unity in the building of a
renewed community of women and men.
E. Renewal through an ecumenical spirituality for our times
An ecumenical spirituality must be grounded in the present realities:
life-giving, rooted in scriptures and nourished by prayer, communitarian
and celebrating, centred around the eucharist, expressed in service and
witness, trusting and confident. Those who live by the Spirit of God must
take the cross for the sake of the world, share the agony of all, and seek
the face of God in the depths of the human condition.
The WCC will need to encourage ecumenical spirituality rooted in the
disciplines and appropriate for contemporary Christian life. As churches
draw closer to each other in the ecumenical pilgrimage, they are increas¬
ingly recognizing the significance of Christian life-style, of holiness, of a
spirituality of non-violence, common prayer, liturgical life, asceticism
and sharing.
VII. Conclusion
The Committee on Programme Policy presents this report with the
hope that it be translated into WCC programmes, faithfully praying:
“Come, Holy Spirit — Renew the Whole Creation”.
4.6. REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
I. Introduction
The Finance Committee of this assembly met with the mandate to
review both the financial reports since Vancouver and the current finan¬
cial situation of the WCC with a view to making recommendations to the
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 193
assembly for sound financial policy for the period up to the next
assembly.
The increased financial response by member churches to the needs of
the WCC over the period since Vancouver has been extremely encourag¬
ing. It demonstrates an increased commitment to and involvement in the
Council’s aims and programmes and the Council is very grateful for that
support.
In reviewing progress since Vancouver, the Committee noted with
appreciation the recommendations which had been acted upon. But much
more progress is needed in increasing income, and integrating finance and
programme policy decision-making.
This assembly meets when the financial outlook of the Council has
worsened dramatically over the last year.
Over the last eight years, many churches have increased their giving
in real terms and/or protected the level of their giving against the effect of
inflation in their own countries. However, the adverse effect of exchange
rates, particularly the US dollar and the Deutsche mark, have combined
with the rise in the cost of living to reduce the WCC’s available income.
By contrast, the Council, in implementing its programme policies as
mandated at Vancouver, has increased its activities and therefore the
amount it wishes to spend.
In its recommendations to the assembly, the Finance Committee seeks
to offer policy guidance as to how these opposing trends of reduced
spending power and increased programme aspirations can be harmonized.
Programme considerations are paramount within the Council. To be
effective, they must be guided by financial realism, and priority decisions
must be made in deciding which programmes can be undertaken and at
what cost. To survive, the WCC must organize its affairs so as to live
within its means. Achieving this general policy will entail better plan¬
ning, prioritizing, evaluation and control of the work undertaken,
together with strengthened and effective management.
It will also depend on strengthening the relationships with member
churches to ensure that the service and witness the Council provides meet
their aspiration, as this is the environment in which increased commit¬
ment and financial support is likely to flourish.
II. Income
A. Financial responsibilities, mutual accountability
1 . The Finance Committee recommends that the assembly affirm the
responsibility of all member churches to make an annual financial
194 Signs of the Spirit
contribution to the WCC. The corresponding responsibility on the part of
the WCC is to be accountable to the fellowship of churches in the use of
these funds.
2. Recognizing that the member churches and others give greatest
support to activities which they understand and which reflect their own
convictions, the Finance Committee recommends that the assembly
instruct the new central committee to :
a) give more thought and personal energy to ways in which churches can
develop a greater sense of obligation for supporting the work of the
WCC financially;
b) review and improve the interpretation to the churches of the range and
depth of Council activity to encourage their support through a sense of
programmatic and financial engagement.
3. Member churches not currently contributing financially to the
WCC: Some member churches do not contribute financially to the WCC.
Some of these churches find it difficult to make substantial contributions ;
others face restrictions on international currency transfers. In light of the
diverse circumstances of the churches, the Finance Committee is not
recommending that a minimum level of annual contribution be estab¬
lished at this time.
The Finance Committee recommends that the assembly urge every
church not presently providing financial support to examine its commit¬
ment to the WCC and to make arrangements for some annual financial
contribution.
4. Member churches currently contributing financially to the WCC:
The Finance Committee recommends that the assembly encourage the
member churches to :
a) increase their annual undesignated contributions ; and
b) seek additional ways to provide designated funds for those pro¬
gramme areas presently dependent on the undesignated income. This
applies particularly to the theological, dialogue, ecclesiological,
renewal and youth work of the Council. In addition, support may be
through direct sponsorship of specific events, publications, meetings
and other activities ;
c) make any designation of funds as broad as possible so as best to
support issues and activities of the Council as determined by the
assembly and the new central committee.
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 195
B. Increasing other income
While affirming the importance of the contributions of member
churches as central to the income strategy of the WCC, the Finance
Committee recommends that the seventh assembly :
1) direct the new central committee to explore other funding and co¬
funding possibilities for World Council of Churches programmes,
including government ministries/agencies (within WCC policy guide¬
lines and in consultation with the member churches), trusts and
foundations, corporations, individuals and Christian bodies other than
member churches ;
2) direct the new central committee to :
a) establish a clear responsibility for central committee members in
advocacy and fund-raising for the WCC among member churches
and other funding sources in their area ; training would need to be
offered and reporting mechanisms to the central committee estab¬
lished ;
b) undertake a study of what aspects of WCC programmes the member
churches and outside bodies are willing to support, to aid in
developing a public relations and fund-raising strategy and encour¬
age greater identification with the range of the WCC’s work;
c) commit sufficient staff resources to permit consistent, informed
and effective fund-raising from non-member bodies, such as those
mentioned in this report, and to establish them as regular sources
of income ; such efforts should be monitored in terms of results for
the time and money so invested;
d) explore means of using more effectively opportunities for fund¬
raising at WCC assemblies and other large gatherings, including
fund-raising events with opportunities for participants to contri¬
bute directly and to be encouraged to advocate giving by their
churches or other sponsors ;
e) reaffirm the policy established in Vancouver that if trust-fund
contributors do not otherwise contribute to the programme and
administration of the WCC, up to 10% of their contribution
should be retained in support of the administrative capacities of
the WCC in facilitating the project support for partners around the
world ;
f) reaffirm the policy of strict coordination of all requests for
financial support of programmes from member churches and
others and review this internal function separately from the need
for external funds development.
196 Signs of the Spirit
C. IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS
In negotiating support of the Council’s programmes, the Finance
Committee recommends that the assembly instruct the new central com¬
mittee to:
1) continue to explore the identification of, reporting on, and encourage¬
ment for other means of contributing to the WCC in addition to cash
transfers, including the provision of personnel, hospitality, external
travel, information, material aid and other contributions or sponsor¬
ships which reduce the budgeted cost of Council activities ;
2) assist member churches in planning their in-kind contributions to be of
greatest help to the Council, particularly in situations where cash
transfers are severely limited by economic or legal restraints.
D. STEWARDSHIP: MAXIMIZING THE EFFECTIVE USE OF FINANCIAL RE¬
SOURCES
1 . Investment policy
Regarding the investment policies of the World Council of Churches,
the Finance Committee recommends that the assembly direct the new
central committee to:
a) pursue the policy that the portfolio should be managed in a
dynamic way that maximizes income without undue risk and
which conforms to the general policy of the Council on social
responsibility in investment;
b) introduce a system of evaluation of the yield for each investment
portfolio; this evaluation should be reported to the executive
committee for review at least once per year.
2. Designation and receipt of funds
a) In addition to the foregoing request to member churches for
increased undesignated and broadly designated financial contribu¬
tions, the Finance Committee recommends that the assembly:
1) reaffirm the policy that designations on income can only be
made by the churches and other bodies which contribute those
funds ;
2) request the new central committee to instruct the general
secretary to establish centralized processing of all receipts to
ensure that incoming funds are banked immediately, credited
accurately to donor specifications and that the limited staff
resources available to programmes are relieved of this work.
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 197
b) The WCC’s finances are vulnerable because of the diversity of
currencies in use by donors and the fluctuation of their exchange
rates. The Finance Committee recommends that the assembly:
1 ) ask the member churches and other donors to review the level
of their pledges and contributions in light of the Council’s
Swiss-franc budget and to consider the possibility of adjusting
their giving in light of any reduction in WCC income related to
changes in exchange rates;
2) direct the new central committee to review the effectiveness of
requests in currencies other than Swiss francs or the local
currency of the contributor.
3. Cooperation in funding
The concern of the Council about competitive funding between
various parts of the international fellowship has been restated consistently
since the 1975 assembly in Nairobi. The Finance Committee recommends
that the seventh assembly instruct the new central committee to :
a) explore possibilities for cooperative fund-raising with individuals,
congregations, national or regional bodies; such cooperation should
be aimed at minimizing competition between partners and strengthen¬
ing mutual support;
b) establish coordination within the Council to help ensure clearer co¬
operation with the member churches and other national, regional and
world church bodies, in order to prevent duplication of programme, to
maximize the use of human and financial resources and to minimize
competition between partners.
III. Expenses and the budget process
A. Budgeting procedures
The Finance Committee recommends that the assembly instruct the
new central committee to develop and implement consolidated budgeting
policy for all programmes of the Council which reflect the following :
a) detailed programme planning must follow estimates of income, not
precede it;
b) the budgeting process must consider the possibilities of in-kind
contributions and secondment of staff;
c) work should not begin nor staff be engaged until funding is assured ;
funds will be considered assured when pledges are received in writing ;
198 Signs of the Spirit
d) guidelines should provide a range of exchange rates to be used for
income projections at the time the budget is adopted, taking into
consideration the level of funds available to the Council to offset any
exchange losses during that fiscal year.
B. Operating funds
The present policy of the World Council of Churches regarding
operating funds is as follows:
a) any annual surplus of income will be credited to operating funds ;
b) annual expense budgets will be balanced to the level of expected
recurring income;
c) programme entities may be authorized to use up to one-third of their
operating funds to balance the budget in any given year.
The Finance Committee recommends that the assembly instruct the
central committee to review these policies with a view to strengthening
the general policy of living within income each year and to explore the
use of fund balances for non-recurring expenses.
C. Expenditure
In order to reduce expenditure to the level of recurring income, the
Finance Committee recommends that the assembly instruct the new
central and executive committees to :
a) reconsider the number of consultations and world conferences, their
style, function, location and numbers of participants and staffing;
there should always be close liaison with local churches in the place
where such meetings will be held, particularly with a view to reducing
costs ;
b) review present policy and practice on participation subsidies, lan¬
guage facilities, length and style of meetings with a view to finding
more effective methods which are also appropriate to the financial
resources available;
c) consider amending the by-laws to reflect the present practice of
having the central committee meet no more often than every 18
months ;
d) hold at least every other meeting of the central committee and
executive committee in Geneva;
e) discourage the practice of one central committee undertaking special
obligations or plans beyond its term which are binding on the
Council ;
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 199
f) ask the member churches to assist in the redeployment of staff who
will be leaving the Council ;
g) review the current pattern of “redistributed costs”, determining the
appropriateness of items redistributed and the basis of the redistribu¬
tion ; attention should also be given to the level of central services and
alternative ways of funding these items or reducing their cost to the
Council ;
h) encourage member churches to set aside regular reserves over the next
seven years to cover all or a larger portion of their delegate expenses
for the eighth assembly of the World Council of Churches as well as a
contribution to the budget of that event ;
i) continue the practice of annually setting aside in the budget of the
WCC an amount towards the eighth assembly reserve.
IV. Integrated financial and programme planning
A. In affirming the importance given to the need for integrated
financial and programme planning by the sixth assembly, in the context of
the present financial difficulties facing the new central committee, and in
the context of recommendations coming before this assembly from the
Programme Policy Committee, the Finance Committee recommends that
the assembly instruct the new central committee to :
1) develop an integrated planning procedure which permits the estab¬
lishment of programme priorities with appropriate staffing and struc¬
ture, within present and projected financial limits;
2) adopt a long-range planning process beginning with the recommenda¬
tions of this assembly : elements of this process may include :
a) a programme evaluation to be sent to member churches in advance
of each assembly, accompanied by a financial report for each
programme area;
b) periodic requests for indications from the member churches of
programme recommendations and estimates of support levels to
be contributed, both financial and in-kind;
c) such information should be provided to the programme policy and
finance committees at the beginning of each assembly; the style
and process of the assembly must be changed to enable greater
linkage between programme evaluation, programme planning and
budgeting ;
d) provide the draft programme policy and financial/budgetary
guidelines to all delegates for study before the time for debate is
scheduled ;
200 Signs of the Spirit
3) establish a programme and budget oversight group to monitor and
evaluate programmes, their impact on the lives of member churches
and their financial viability, and to be responsible for the pre¬
assembly report to the member churches ;
4) review the recommendations of the seventh assembly annually,
evaluating them as to their effect and desirability.
B. Organizational matters: In light of the impossibility of adopting a
1992 budget with the present income projections of the WCC, an
immediate review of the present organization, staffing and style of the
Council is needed with a view towards reducing the number of pro¬
gramme cost structures. Financial projections indicate that the current
number of programmes, activities and staff cannot be sustained with the
funds that will be available. The Committee records the opinion that in
particular the following items be reviewed :
a) the organization and working style of the Council to achieve more
effective management and control ;
b) the effectiveness of all the operating entities of WCC, to determine if
alternative ways can be found to provide the services which those
offices render at a lower cost ;
c) the possible delegation of programme operations to regional councils
and member churches ;
d) reductions in staff (to a level of not more than 270 as proposed by the
officers of the WCC in November 1990), ensuring provision for the
WCC to meet contractual obligations and issues of justice and mercy;
e) development of a management plan for staff reductions which will
allow the Council to achieve its priorities and make most efficient use
of a smaller staff rather than continuing the current pattern of staff
reductions through attrition;
f) study of the use of secretarial pools and the cost of using part-time
employees ;
g) exploration of possible relocation of some staff to locations less
expensive than Geneva.
The Finance Committee endorses the action taken by the Council to
initiate a management study by external specialists provided there is
determined effort to act on their recommendations.
V. Conclusion
At such a time as this, the Council is experiencing a worsening
financial position common to industry, commerce and member churches
The Work of the WCC : Past and Future 201
worldwide, largely due to the reduced value of its income. It must react
quickly and positively if it is to survive. This must involve change, which
may be both substantial and painful. The very theme of the assembly
suggests this but great benefits can accrue from change. This assembly
and the central committee which it appoints have a duty to support the
leadership, management and the staff of the Council in achieving these
changes. The decision to delay the appointment of commissions and
working groups until after the review scheduled for July 1991 should be
strongly affirmed as a first step.
The dreams coming from this assembly now need the space to be
distilled into programme policies which are achievable and affordable.
Initiatives to reorganize, economize and develop improved systems to
plan, budget, monitor and evaluate the work of the World Council of
Churches are both necessary to balance the 1992 budget, create that space
and then to begin this work.
The opening plenary session.
5. Statements and Appeals
on Public Issues
5.1. INTRODUCTION
According to the rules of the WCC, an assembly “may publish
statements upon any situation or issue with which the Council or its
constituent churches may be confronted”. These statements have no
authority except “the weight which they carry by their own truth and
wisdom”. Yet, as the judgment of such a widely-representative body,
they may have considerable influence.
The question is always: “On which issues should an assembly
speak?” Some criteria have been worked out. Priority is given, for
example, to major international political developments or issues, espe¬
cially those with which the WCC has had direct involvement or long¬
standing commitment. Statements are not offered if the issue can be or is
being dealt with by the general secretary, the officers, or the central
committee. Statements are also not made in cases where other forms of
action (e.g. a letter or an ongoing programme) may be more appropriate.
The initial recommendation of the Business Committee at Canberra
was that the Public Issues Committee prepare statements on four topics :
the Gulf crisis, internal conflicts (i.e., conflicts within nations), indigen¬
ous peoples and land rights, and South Africa. Delegates subsequently
proposed numerous additional topics, including global warming, anti¬
semitism, the debt crisis, the drug crisis, AIDS, Romania and Albania.
The Business Committee determined that these issues could be handled in
some other fashion, but it did agree to authorize statements or appeals on
the situation in the Baltic states, the Pacific, Sri Lanka and El Salvador.
Draft statements were brought to the plenary for a first reading on
15 February, but prolonged discussion of the Nominations Committee
report meant that there was no time for comments on the work of the
Public Issues Committee. A special session was called for the evening of
Statements and Appeals on Public Issues 203
Sunday, 17 February, though many delegates were unable to attend due to
the programme of parish visits.
The revised statements and appeals were presented to the assembly on
Wednesday, 20 February, by Dr Janice Love (Methodist, USA), co¬
moderator of the Public Issues Committee. Dr Love introduced the
statement on “The Gulf War, the Middle East, and the Threat to World
Peace” (5.2) and invited comments on its “preamble” (paragraphs 1-37).
Several suggestions for improvement were offered, but two issues
received most attention: (1) Dr Karel Blei (Reformed, Netherlands)
argued that the statement failed to recognize the threat to Israel posed by
Iraq or to commend Israel for its restraint in not retaliating to Iraqi
missile attacks. Paragraphs 2, 13 and 14 should be revised to reflect
greater understanding of Israel’s situation. Other views were also
expressed. Ms Jean Zaru (Friends, Israeli Occupied Territory) contended
that Israel should not get special treatment. It especially should not be
commended for not retaliating since, in the current war, the US is
fighting on Israel’s behalf. (2) Prof. Joseph Omoyajowo (Anglican,
Nigeria) objected to the reference to anti-Muslim feeling in paragraph
34. The truth, he said, is that Islam attempts in many places to humiliate
other faith communities.
There was much debate about the procedure for revising paragraphs
1-37, but the assembly finally agreed simply to request the Public Issues
Committee to revise that part of the text in light of the discussion.
Dr Love then moved the adoption of the second part of the statement
on the Gulf war (paragraphs 38-43). Early in the discussion, Dr Konrad
Raiser (United, Germany) moved to amend paragraph 39 by adding the
following sentence : “We call upon [the churches] to give up any theologi¬
cal or moral justification of the use of military power, be it in war or
through other forms of oppressive security systems, and to become public
advocates of a just peace.” Dr Raiser noted that the language of his
amendment was taken from the final document of the 1990 JPIC confer¬
ence in Seoul. The amendment was approved (268-193-79), though
objection was already raised that more time should be devoted to a
decision of such consequence.
Other amendments were proposed, but most were resisted by the
Committee and subsequently defeated by the assembly. A motion to close
debate was, at one point, approved by the delegates, but rescinded after
the WCC’s general secretary, Emilio Castro, intervened. Our impatience
with small changes, said Dr Castro, should not keep us from hearing the
mind of the assembly on such an important conflict.
204 Signs of the Spirit
The debate on this statement was more than three hours old when the
assembly broke for lunch. During the break, the Public Issues Committee
received seven specific amendments dealing with paragraphs 38-43. An
addition to paragraph 41 — appealing to Israel to lift the blanket curfew
imposed on the occupied territories at the start of the war — was accepted
by the Committee and adopted by the assembly.
The Committee also accepted an amendment expressing “deep dismay
that without apparent reference to the UN Security Council the USA
persistently refuses to consider any offer by other parties to break the
political stalemate and open new doors to negotiated settlement”. Bishop
Barry Rogerson (Anglican, England) objected that such “one-sided criti¬
cism” of the US would damage the WCC’s credibility. If the position of
the US government is thought to be incompatible with that of the UN, he
added, then it is for the UN to say so. Rev. James Rogers (Reformed,
Scotland) expressed alarm that the WCC is seeking to occupy some high
moral ground far removed from the real world — and, therefore, will be
ignored. The amendment was defeated.
Bishop Rogerson then defended a proposed amendment to link all
allied cease-fire to an Iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait in accordance with
UN resolutions. This amendment was also defeated.
As the assembly moved towards a final vote on the statement as a
whole, several delegates expressed concern about the implications of the
“Raiser amendment”. Rev. John Broadhurst (Anglican, England) re¬
called the failure of countries to stand up to Hitler. The statement as
amended is, he argued, a pacifist measure. To vote for it would be to
oppose the right of Kuwait, Palestine, Cyprus, or any oppressed nation
to self-defence. Landesbischof Horst Hirschler (Lutheran, Germany)
agreed that there are situations in which a country may legitimately go
to war against another country when all non-violent means have been
exhausted. Dr Held, moderator of the central committee, also noted
that, because of the Raiser amendment, he would abstain. Dr Raiser
maintained that his amendment did not impose a pacifist position; but,
in the end, the assembly voted to reconsider the amendment and
defeated it. The delegates then voted, with some opposition, to adopt
the public issue statement on the Gulf war.
By now, the assembly had spent over four hours on the report from
the Public Issues Committee but had discussed only one of the eight
statements and appeals. A motion was made that the delegates receive the
remaining report, express their general support for the substance of the
statements, and commend the statements to the central committee for
Statements and Appeals on Public Issues 205
final adoption. Rev. Tyrone Pitts (Baptist, USA) and Prof. Michael
Horsburgh (Anglican, Australia) both argued, however, that the assembly
must use this opportunity to speak on Aboriginal land rights. The
statements on “Indigenous Peoples and Land Rights” and “South Africa”
were subsequently adopted without discussion. The other statements were
received and referred to the central committee.
5.2. STATEMENT ON THE GULF WAR,
THE MIDDLE EAST AND THE THREAT
TO WORLD PEACE
I. Preamble
1. As we gather in the seventh assembly of the World Council of
Churches (Canberra, February 1991), a war of terrible proportions is
being waged in the Gulf. Kuwait was already ravaged by Iraqi invading
forces. Now, both Kuwait and Iraq are being destroyed by bombardment
of unprecedented intensity. Hour by hour this war claims a mounting toll
of victims on all sides, combatants and non-combatants alike, our own
sisters and brothers. As we met, news was received of the horrible
bombing of a shelter in Baghdad killing hundreds of people who sought
refuge there, many of them children and women. At this very moment,
preparations are being made for a ground battle which is certain to cause
greater destruction and loss of life. It is a war of ominous dimensions
which threatens the destruction of the land and the people it seeks to
liberate. Day by day the war escalates, drawing in more and more nations
of the Gulf, the Middle East, and other parts of the world. It squanders the
resources of rich and poor countries alike, and no end is in sight.
2. Intensive efforts were made around the world to prevent this war
and avoid its escalation. Urgent appeals were made by leaders of nations
not to abandon non-violent efforts to cause Iraq to withdraw uncondition¬
ally from Kuwait and resolve its differences with its neighbour through
negotiations. The churches pleaded with the leaders of their nations not to
aggravate further the long-standing conflict in the Middle East which time
and again has brought war and violence to the region; created a climate of
fear and mistrust between Israel and the Arab nations; led to the suffering
of Jews, Christians and Muslims alike, and to the continuing occupation
of Palestinian territories and parts of Lebanon and to the invasion and
206 Signs of the Spirit
partial occupation of Cyprus; inflicted suffering upon the Palestinian
people who have been deprived of their rights to self-determination,
statehood and national dignity, and exacerbated conflicts within the
countries of the region, delaying justice for national minorities like the
Kurdish people.
3. War promises no lasting solution for the festering wounds of the
Middle East, no just, peaceful and durable regional or world order, but
rather continued insecurity, pain and conflict.
4. It is never too soon nor too late to seek peace and a comprehensive
settlement. So once again, together, our hearts cry out to the leaders of
the nations, especially to those of the coalition forces led by the United
States of America and of Iraq: Cease the bombing! Still the missiles! Stop
the fighting! Restrain your armies! Negotiate! Trust in the promise of
peace!
Peace-making, the believers' calling
5. We confess that many of us and our churches have for too long
been confused, timid and unfaithful in the face of the daunting complexity
of the decades-long problems confronting the Middle East. We have
failed to disassociate ourselves from the institutions of militarism which
view war either as a solution to human conflicts or as a necessary evil, or
to avoid complicity with the powers who trust more in armed might than
in the rule of law or the ability of the human spirit to achieve justice by
peaceful means.
6. During this assembly we have sought to open our hearts and minds
to one another and to the Holy Spirit, and we have renewed our resolve to
be peace-makers, conscious of the cost of being disciples of the Prince of
Peace.
7. The participants in the WCC world convocation on “Justice Peace
and the Integrity of Creation” (Seoul, 1990) declared: “We will resist
doctrines and systems of security based on the use of, and deterrence by,
all weapons of mass destruction, and military interventions and occupa¬
tions.” It is imperative that the churches hear and respond now to this
challenge.
8. The first assembly of the World Council of Churches (Amster¬
dam, 1948) was delayed by a looming world war, and every subsequent
assembly has been confronted with the prospect or reality of war. Yet,
consistently and persistently, the World Council of Churches has sought
lasting peace through efforts to eliminate injustices which give rise to
war, to create and strengthen institutions capable of safeguarding
Statements and Appeals on Public Issues 207
international peace and security and, in the event of war, to aid the
victims.
9. The peace we seek, as the Vancouver assembly (1983) reminded
the churches, “is not just the absence of war. Peace requires a new
international order based on justice for and within all the nations, and
respect for the God-given humanity and dignity of every person. Peace is,
as the Prophet Isaiah has taught us, the effect of righteousness.”
10. We trust in the knowledge that the world belongs to God, not to
the powers of this world, and we take courage and hope from God’s
promise of peace, righteousness and justice which was embodied in Jesus
Christ and made present among us through the work of the Holy Spirit.
With God’s help, peace is possible even now.
The churches’ advocacy for a just peace in the Gulf and the Middle East
1 1 . The World Council of Churches has repeatedly advocated respect
for international law and a peaceful resolution of this conflict. It has:
a) strongly opposed Iraq’s invasion and annexation of Kuwait;
b) welcomed the Security Council’s demand that Iraq withdraw immedi¬
ately and unconditionally from Kuwait and its appeal to Iraq and
Kuwait to initiate intensive negotiations for the resolution of their
differences;
c) supported the application of strict sanctions banning all commercial
dealings and trade with Iraq, with the exception of medical supplies
and foodstuffs in humanitarian circumstances;
d) called upon the Security Council to enforce with equal vigour its
earlier resolutions on the territorial integrity of Lebanon, the division
and occupation of Cyprus, Israel’s withdrawal from the territories it
occupied in 1967, and the right of every state in the area, including
Israel, to live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries free
from threats or acts of force;
e) appealed for the withdrawal of all foreign forces from the region and
the exploration of all avenues for negotiations to defuse the crisis and
obtain a peaceful settlement;
f) declared as morally unacceptable the holding of foreign nationals in
Iraq and Kuwait, appealed to the Iraqi government to facilitate the
departure of all foreign nationals desiring to do so, and appealed
for strict application of international norms for the protection of
refugees.
12. Around the world, member churches and regional ecumenical
bodies took the lead in pressing for peace along these same lines:
208 Signs of the Spirit
a) The Middle East Council of Churches sought a regional solution to the
conflict, at the same time expressing hope for a comprehensive, just
resolution for all the conflicts and occupations in the region in order to
bring harmony and peace among Muslims, Christians and Jews in the
region. It contributed significantly to assisting the refugees and other
victims of the conflict.
b) The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA appealed
repeatedly to the US Administration and Congress not to abandon
sanctions as a means to obtain an end to the occupation of Kuwait,
warning against the rapidly escalating military response of the US
government to the crisis and the apparently open-ended nature of US
military involvement in the region. A delegation of US church leaders
travelled to Iraq and other states of the region in an expression of
ecumenical concern and solidarity.
c) The Canadian Council of Churches issued similar appeals to its own
government and also sent a delegation to the region, meeting with
leaders of churches and of other religious faith communities.
d) The Conference of European Churches and national councils of
churches in Europe warned against acceptance of the inevitability of
war, recalling the conviction of the European churches, expressed at
the European Ecumenical Assembly (Basel, 1989), that war is against
the will of God and that everything should be done to further peaceful
resolution of conflicts.
e) The Latin American Council of Churches urged the UN to
redouble efforts for a peaceful solution, and churches in Asia,
Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific drew attention to the grave
effects of the crisis on their nations and cautioned governments
against military or economic support for efforts to achieve a
military solution.
The widening effects of the conflict in the Middle East
13. When Iraq refused to withdraw from Kuwait, massive forces of
the coalition led by the United States were deployed in the Gulf and three
months later began bombing both Kuwait and Iraq. Iraq launched missiles
on Israel, some of which fell in Palestinian areas. This has caused fear
and suffering in Israel, which has not retaliated. But it has imposed a
blanket curfew in the Occupied Territories, further worsening the already
desperate plight of Palestinians who feel unprotected, abandoned by the
world community and fear for their future, and heightening tensions in the
whole region.
Orthodox liturgy at morning worship on
16 February.
Milos Vesin from Yugoslavia, one of the
worship animators.
Morning worship on Ash Wednesday.
The opening worship in the tent
1 jf
Hkf if
The officers of the central committee elected at Canberra: left, Archbishop Aram
Keshishian (Lebanon), moderator; centre and right, Pastor a Nelida Ritchie
( Argentina ), and Ephorus Dr Soritua Nababan (Indonesia), co-moderators.
Australian prime minister Bob Hawke
with Metropolitan Paulos Mar Grego¬
rios at the opening plenary session.
The assembly
newspaper was
indispensable...
Rev. Dr Emilio Castro (centre) embraces Bishop K.H. Ting (left, China Christian
Council) and Rev. C.M. Kao (right, Presbyterian Church in Taiwan) after the
announcement that the Chinese church had rejoined the WCC fellowship.
Ms.
A painting by Aboriginal artist Wenten
Rubuntja, one of the gifts from the Ab¬
original people to the WCC.
Two of the stewards ( photo WCC/ Gordon
Gray).
The procession for peace through
Canberra, which preceded the all-
night vigil in the worship tent.
ip |
1
|p:; |
i
rj
1.
Youth felt under-represented on the newly elected central committee.
Press conference given by the members of the team
visit to two Aboriginal communities.
Aboriginal dancer at the plenary
on the theme presentation.
Children were part of the worship service on jus¬
tice, peace and the integrity of creation which
preceded the all-night vigil.
Statements and Appeals on Public Issues 209
14. Lebanon’s hard- won, fragile peace was disrupted as missiles were
launched on Israel from its territory. Israel retaliated with a renewal of
heavy punitive bombing raids on Lebanese towns and villages. This has
placed further obstacles in the way of the Lebanese government and army
in their efforts to establish their authority over this strife-tom land.
15. Smouldering fires of tension throughout the region have been
fanned as countries from the northern limits of the Middle East to the
Horn of Africa. Turkey, Iran, Jordan, Sudan and others have been
drawn into the sphere of confrontation. Indeed, the whole of the
region, including Iraq, is armed with huge arsenals of the most modern
weaponry, much of it provided by the governments and industries of
countries participating in the coalition forces. The whole of the Middle
East is a powder-keg which could explode in a moment. And with the
presence of chemical, biological and nuclear weaponry in and around
the region a conflagration could rapidly escape the confines of the
Gulf.
16. All wars have serious side effects, but the oil spillage which has
already occurred in the Gulf, and the estimated consequences for the
global warming of the earth’s atmosphere should the oil wells of Kuwait,
Iraq and Saudi Arabia be set ablaze, show that the potential of this war for
widespread, even global ecological destruction is exceptional.
The global implications of the war
17. In fact, the war already has global impact. Among its chief
victims have been the poor nations of the world, many of whom are
already beset by internal conflicts and massive foreign debt.
18. Their peoples were among the first to suffer. Workers in the
Middle East from countries like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Philippines,
India and Korea were either trapped in war zones or forced to flee under
excruciating circumstances. The war has added to the drain on these
nations’ economies, some of which depended heavily on remittances —
from their nationals employed in the region — which have now been cut
off.
19. The war has dealt a massive economic blow to much of the
developing world, eliminating major markets for primary exports, caus¬
ing prices for fuels and petroleum products and for basic foodstuffs like
rice and grain to skyrocket, and making the cost of other essential imports
prohibitive for the poor.
20. The war has led to new acts and threats of terrorism in several
parts of the world.
210 Signs of the Spirit
21. The war has fanned the flames of religious, ethnic and regional
conflicts in many countries, especially in Asia, seriously destabilizing
some and giving rise to violent conflicts in others.
22. The preoccupation of the global mass media, governments, and
international institutions with the war in the Gulf has distracted attention
from efforts to resolve other armed conflicts raging around the world and
from other massive human tragedies. It is estimated, for example, that
some 20 million people are on the brink of starvation and death in the
African countries of Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Angola, Mozambique and
Liberia. At this time of war, much of the world has turned a deaf ear to
their cries for help.
The United Nations, the Gulf war, and the “ new world order ”
23. The World Council of Churches promoted the formation of the
United Nations and through representatives of the member churches it
was present when the Charter was adopted. Since the Amsterdam assem¬
bly (1948) it has supported the UN and, especially through its Commis¬
sion of the Churches on International Affairs, a leading non-governmental
organization in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council,
the WCC has contributed to the success of the UN and its related
agencies.
24. The achievements of the United Nations over the years have been
notable in many fields. Even during the past decade of the greatest neglect
by the major powers, it continued to lay the groundwork for a role in the
peaceful resolution of international conflicts. Much of this work came to
fruition after 1985 when the UN was instrumental in negotiating an end to
the Iran/Iraq war, the war in Afghanistan, and a settlement of the long¬
standing dispute over Namibia and guiding it to independence; brought
closer the end of apartheid in South Africa through the application of
comprehensive sanctions; and played a new, more energetic role in
promoting the settlement of regional conflicts in Central America and
elsewhere.
25. The words of the late Bishop Bell at the first assembly (Amster¬
dam, 1948) remain pertinent, however. “International law”, he said,
“clearly requires international institutions for its effectiveness. These
institutions, if they are to command respect and obedience of nations,
must come to grips with international problems on their own merits and
not primarily in the light of national interests... The United Nations was
designed to promote friendly relations among the nations. Its purposes in
these respects deserve the support of Christians. But unless the nations
Statements and Appeals on Public Issues 211
surrender a greater measure of national sovereignty in the interest of the
common good, they will be tempted to have recourse to war in order to
enforce their claims.”
26. The churches and the general public in most parts of the world
supported the initial actions of the UN Security Council in condemning
the invasion of Kuwait and the application of sanctions to enforce its
call for Iraq’s withdrawal from this occupied country. They would very
much have preferred that the United Nations itself had taken all
decisions and the limited actions necessary to end the aggression.
Unfortunately member nations have not yet empowered the UN for such
a role.
27. By adopting Security Council resolution 678, which authorized
“member states... to use all necessary means to implement previous
resolutions”, the UN placed itself in danger of being blamed for being
unduly dependent upon a powerful nation or group of nations and for
appearing to authorize a large-scale war which is not in the interests of an
international order of peace based on law.
28. The question of how major international decisions are made has
become one of pressing urgency in the world today. The lessons
learned from the way this first major world crisis in the post-Cold War
era has been handled by the international community demand a critical
examination of the emerging new world order. No one government or
group of governments should either take or be allowed to take primary
responsibility for the resolution of major conflicts beyond their own
borders.
29. For the Security Council or the Secretary-General, in the exercise
of his good offices, to be for some reason unable to act independently and
in the true spirit of the UN Charter would be unacceptable. The commu¬
nity of nations cannot afford such a weakening of the UN system. For the
sake of world peace, for the sake of the rule of law, for the sake of the
authority of the United Nations, its position as guarantor of a comprehen¬
sive international peace order must be strengthened.
30. It is imperative, for the sake of world peace, the rule of law, and
the credibility of the United Nations, that the parties to the Gulf war cease
immediately the hostilities and invest their efforts in the pursuit of a
negotiated peace.
31 . For the sake of all peoples it is time to build a new world order of
justice, the foundation stone of peace:
a) a world economic order which ends the domination and exploitation of
the poor by the rich;
212 Signs of the Spirit
b) information and communication systems which — as the world
convocation on “Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation” (JPIC)
(Seoul, 1990), said — offer all peoples truth in place of distortion, and
media disposed to peace rather than violence; and which redress the
concentration of control over global communications media in the
hands of a few powerful nations and corporations;
c) an environmental order which respects the integrity of God’s creation
and controls the industrialized nations’ insatiable thirst for oil — a
major source of global conflict, as this war shows, and of widespread
damage to the environment — and leads them to adopt new energy
policies which promote conservation.
The impact of racism and intolerance
32. The war in the Gulf reveals the tragic impact of racism on both the
international and domestic policies of nations from which indigenous
peoples are often the first to suffer.
33. Internationally, there is a shocking rise in discrimination against
persons of Arab nationality, background or appearance. In the name of
“national security” and “prevention of terrorism”, many are subjected to
systematic humiliation, harassment, preventive detention, and open threat
of physical harm by both state authorities and private groups in many
nations around the world.
34. Anti-Muslim feeling is on the increase in many Western coun¬
tries, fed by the portrayal of Islam as an inherently menacing religion. As
a result, many Muslims feel humiliated and angry, and the future of
Christian-Muslim relations — so crucial to peace and harmony in many
parts of the world — risks being gravely affected. At a time when there
are manifestations of anti-semitism in a number of countries, many Jews
feel great anguish.
35. A disproportionate burden is being imposed on racial and ethnic
minorities in this war. According to United States Department of Defense
estimates, for example, 25% of US troops deployed in the Gulf (and 29%
of ground forces and 55% of women in uniform) are black. Yet African-
Americans comprise only slightly more than 1 1% of the civilian popula¬
tion over the age of 16. Corresponding figures for other racial or ethnic
minority groups are not readily available, but it is safe to assume that
Native Americans and persons of Hispanic background are similarly over¬
represented in the fighting forces. Concern rises for a generation of black,
Hispanic and Native American youth endangered by intense, endemic
poverty, inadequate health care, the ever- rising incidence of AIDS, and
Statements and Appeals on Public Issues 2 1 3
the impact of drugs and drug-related crime. Now, many of those who
joined the military in search of education, stable employment and a way
out of these dangers, are at peril in the Gulf.
The situation and role of women
36. This particular conflict and the long-standing institutions of war
and militarism that feed it are created, controlled, and perpetuated by
men. Some women may at times support military solutions to conflicts
and, increasingly, women participate as soldiers. In the rare circum¬
stances where women lead governments, some of them promote policies
leading to war. But most women and children are victimized by war and
militarism. They become refugees, objects of sexual violence by occupa¬
tion forces, and they are trapped in the midst of violence. Women and
children are also the majority of those who are deprived of basic
necessities when resources from institutions that enhance life are diverted
to those that destroy it. In contrast to this victimization by forces in which
they have little meaningful participation, women are often at the heart of
movements for peace with justice and other activities that promote
creative non-violent resolution of conflict. And women have taken the
lead in urging that adversaries be recognized as full human beings rather
than being made objects in enemy images.
The impact on youth
37. Modem warfare takes a particularly terrible toll on youth and
children. There are indications that the chief victims both of the occupa¬
tion of Kuwait and of the bombing of Iraq in retaliation are many infants
and children. Young people make up the bulk of the armed forces
exposed to battle. The youth of this assembly have expressed concern that
young men and women from many countries are called to fight in the
Middle East in a war not of their making, and that young people are
among the first to suffer from the economic deprivation and strife it is
causing.
II. Appeals and affirmations
38. Out of deep human concern for all those who are victimized by the
war in the Gulf: the poor, the racially oppressed, women, youth, civilian
victims, and those who out of loyalty or due to circumstance are engaged
in conflict as members of the armed forces; out of our concern for justice,
peace and the integrity of creation; and as an expression of our hope for a
truly just, peaceful, democratic participatory world order and institutions
214 Signs of the Spirit
able to govern and sustain it, we at the seventh assembly of the World
Council of Churches cry out: Stop the war! Pursue the way of peace!
39. To the churches:
a) We urge you to be constant in prayer and pastoral care for the leaders
of the nations and particularly for all those on every side caught up in
or victimized by this tragic war: innocent civilians, those involved in
the fighting, families and friends who grieve the separation or loss of
their loved ones, and those who reject military service on grounds of
conscience.
b) We appeal especially to the churches in arms exporting and importing
countries to press for immediate steps to control this trade in death and
destruction. The more lethal the weapons and the larger their number,
the greater the violence and destruction of wars and conflicts. This
uncontrolled trade denies the sanctity of human life and defiles the
planet.
c) We reiterate the affirmation of the sixth assembly: “The churches
today are called to confess anew their faith, and to repent for the times
when Christians have remained silent in the face of injustice or threats
to peace. The biblical vision of peace with justice for all, of whole¬
ness, of unity for all God’s people is not one of several options for the
followers of Christ. It is an imperative in our time.”
40. To the United Nations:
a) We urge you to reassert your role as peace-maker, peace-keeper,
conciliator and negotiator.
b) We urge you to act now, decisively, to stop the war and to return to
the strict application of non-violent sanctions — without deadlines —
against Iraq, whose actions are in violation of international law and
have been widely condemned by the nations.
c) We urge you to reconvene the Security Council on a continuing,
emergency basis, to map a new course for peaceful negotiation of the
dispute between Iraq and Kuwait and of the other outstanding con¬
flicts in the region.
d) We urge you to move with all due speed to the convening of the
International Peace Conference on the Middle East, called for by the
38th UN General Assembly (1983), to resolve the question of Pales¬
tine, to address the legitimate national rights of Palestinians to self-
determination and an independent state of their own, and as a means
to implement Security Council Resolution 242 (1967) which affirms
the right of every state in the area, including Israel, “to live in peace
within secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of
Statements and Appeals on Public Issues 215
Meanwhile, we call for international protection for the Palestinian
people under occupation until such an international peace conference
has done its work.
e) We also call for the initiation of a conference on peace, security and
cooperation in the Middle East with the equal participation of all
interested states and peoples as a further instrument for the achieve¬
ment of a just and lasting settlement in the region which will bring
about the mutual recognition of all states and effective guarantees for
their security.
f) We urge you to be consistent in your actions to ensure the compliance
of the nations with United Nations resolutions, especially those others
calling for an end to illegal occupation of territory in the region of the
Middle East: the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel in 1967,
Lebanon, and Cyprus.
41. To the nations and their leaders:
a) We commend those nations who have exerted efforts to seek a
negotiated solution to this conflict both before and after the engage¬
ment of the war, and encourage you to pursue them now with even
greater vigour.
b) We call urgently and insistently on both Iraq and the coalition forces
led by the United States to cease fire immediately and to work for a
negotiated solution of the Iraq-Kuwait dispute within the context of
the United Nations.
c) We urge all nations involved in the war to respect international norms
for the protection of non-combatants in situations of armed conflict.
d) We appeal to the government of Iraq to signal its intention and offer
guarantees that it will comply with Security Council Resolution 660
by withdrawing completely and unconditionally from the territory of
Kuwait immediately upon the cessation of hostilities.
e) We call upon all external powers to withdraw all forces from the
Middle East — except those required to perform a peace-keeping role
under UN command — as a means to help restore a climate propitious
for the pursuit of a lasting settlement of the region’s conflicts.
f) We appeal to the government of Israel to lift the blanket curfew that
has been imposed on the Occupied Territories since the war began.
42. To peoples of other faiths:
In the presence of the representatives of other faiths who have been
our guests during this assembly, we commit ourselves to refuse to be
separated from brothers and sisters of other faiths as a result of this war,
and to reject especially any effort to divide Christians, Muslims and Jews
216 Signs of the Spirit
whose faiths originated in the Middle East, and to join with them in
prayers and common endeavours for peace in anticipation of the day when
all may live together in peace and mutual respect.
43. Ever mindful that God rules with righteousness over all, we pray:
Come, Holy Spirit
transform our lives,
lift and sustain us in this day.
Give wisdom and faith
that we may know
the great hope to which we are called.
Come, Holy Spirit,
renew the whole creation.
5.3. STATEMENT ON INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
AND LAND RIGHTS - MOVE BEYOND WORDS
1. “Come, Holy Spirit — Renew the Whole Creation!” We have
come to Australia, the land of our Aboriginal sisters and brothers, the
original inhabitants who call it the land of the spirit. We have come to
listen and learn. We have come to celebrate together that which the
Holy Spirit gives to us. We have been graciously received by the
Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders who have shown great
leadership and wisdom. We have worshipped together. They have
shared their stories with us. They have shared their lives with us, their
pain of stolen land and stolen children, poverty and oppression. Despite
all they have endured, they have survived and continue to thrive. We
salute them and stand in solidarity with them in their courageous
struggle for equality and justice.
2. For the last twenty years, voices of indigenous peoples throughout
the world have spoken to the churches through programmes and gather¬
ings sponsored by the WCC. Most recently, in the Darwin consultation
and San Antonio encuentro (both in 1989), the WCC highlighted anew
indigenous peoples’ struggles for international recognition of their
sovereignties, self-determination, traditional religious practices and land
rights. Indigenous peoples request that the churches join them in these
struggles, remembering that some churches for too long have helped
justify actions and acted in concert with oppressive governments, but
Statements and Appeals on Public Issues 217
knowing also that some churches have begun to take steps to support
these struggles.
3. While we acknowledge the immense profit and privilege which
often accrued to the churches when early missionary undertakings accom¬
panied the exploitation of indigenous peoples, churches have also been a
prophetic voice seeking justice for indigenous communities. The WCC
calls its member churches to conversion, active and ongoing repentance
and reparation for past sins as a prelude to reconciliation. Only by so
doing can we hope to gain or retain and be worthy of the trust and respect
of indigenous people. We must continue to confront our own role as an
accessory and even accomplice in the historic and contemporary acts of
injustice against indigenous peoples.
4. To that end the WCC should continue to work with indigenous
peoples to ensure that issues identified by them, their communities and
organizations, will be heard and acted upon. We affirm the growing
consciousness of indigenous peoples’ struggle for freedom, including
those of the Dalits of India. We realize that wounds that had their
beginnings 500 years ago with invasion, conquest, colonization and
missionary zeal, will take time to heal. Recognizing that oppression of
indigenous peoples is racism and that issues of racism in all parts of the
world are linked, the WCC should intensify its efforts to pursue racial
justice.
5. Working towards the goal of justice through sovereignty, self-
determination and land rights for indigenous peoples, the seventh assem¬
bly of the World Council of Churches (Canberra, February 1991) calls
upon member churches to move beyond words to action, specifically:
a) to negotiate with indigenous peoples to ascertain how lands taken
unjustly by churches from indigenous peoples can be returned to them;
b) to recognize, acknowledge and vigorously support self-determination
and sovereignty of indigenous peoples, as defined by them, in church
and society;
c) to use their influence with governments and international bodies in
actively seeking the goal of justice through sovereignty and self-
determination of indigenous peoples;
d) to declare the year 1992, the quincentenary of the arrival of Columbus
in the western hemisphere, a year against racism with specific focus
on indigenous and black peoples who in this year will mark 500 years
of genocide, land theft, slavery, and oppression. We call upon the
international religious community and governments to resist par¬
ticipating in activities celebrating 1992 designed without input from
218
Signs of the Spirit
indigenous peoples and to join with indigenous peoples in any
celebrations or commemorations they plan;
e) to oppose continuing and now increasing (justified by war in the Gulf)
exploitation of indigenous peoples’ lands and mineral resources;
f) to protect burial grounds and sacred sites of indigenous peoples from
desecration and destruction and to work towards the return of ancest¬
ral remains, artifacts, sacred objects and other items belonging to
indigenous peoples;
g) to protect freedom of indigenous peoples to practise their traditional
religions.
Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders
6. The seventh assembly has listened carefully to the voices of the
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people. We have been painfully
reminded of their struggle for self-determination and self-management, in
order to pursue freely their own economic, political, social, religious and
cultural development. We recognize that indigenous peoples of Australia
and the Torres Strait Islands were independent, self-governing peoples
long before Europeans invaded their land, and that they have a right to
regain such control over their land under their own rule.
7. We recognize that the Australian churches have begun to speak out
on the issue of land rights. However, the time has come for an even more
effective commitment and stance on the issues that affect Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Island people. Such a commitment requires a settlement for
a treaty acknowledging the rights of indigenous peoples.
8. Out of this deep concern, the World Council of Churches seventh
assembly, meeting in Canberra, Australia, in February 1991:
a) supports the self-determination and self-management of the Aborigi¬
nal and Torres Strait Island people and their right to define
sovereignty for themselves;
b) requests that the WCC central committee monitor and support a treaty
process between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people and the
Australian government;
c) commits itself to be in solidarity with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Island people until their rights are established throughout Australia;
d) calls on the Australian churches to return land unjustly taken from the
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people;
e) recalls the fourth act of covenant from the WCC world convocation on
“Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation” (Seoul 1990) “for the
eradication of racism on national and international levels...”, and
Statements and Appeals on Public Issues 219
concretely the need “to join actively in the land rights struggles of
indigenous people as they struggle against racist institutions and
policies which rape the land and resources”.
5.4. STATEMENT ON SOUTH AFRICA
The present challenge
1. The seventh assembly of the World Council of Churches (Can¬
berra, February 1991) takes place at a critical moment in the history of
South Africa. The structures and practices of legalized racism which have
dominated the social, economic and political life of the country, are
trembling under the weight of growing pressure from within and without.
The liberation struggle, as well as boycotts, economic sanctions and other
measures which have served to isolate South Africa from the world
community of nations, have combined to produce a growing momentum
for change.
2. It is already becoming evident, however, that the next phase in the
movement for a new, democratic and non-racial South Africa might yet
prove to be the most difficult phase of all.
3. While the state president’s recent decision to seek the repeal of the
land act, the group areas act and the population registration act is to be
welcomed, many of the discriminatory structures and practices which
these acts created remain intact. The security laws which sustain apart¬
heid and fuel township violence are still in place. In addition, the
overwhelming majority of schools remain segregated by law. Political
prisoners, incarcerated under apartheid laws, are still not free. The
indemnity regulations gazetted in October fall far short of an amnesty.
The repatriation of exiles and the release of political prisoners are,
consequently, well behind schedule. Apartheid is still maintained in
economic structures, in housing, education, business and finance, and
health services. The recent announcement by the state president contained
no promise to restore people and communities to lands from which they
were forcibly removed in recent years, nor does it offer compensation for
lands unjustly expropriated. There has been no commitment made to a
policy of fair and just redistribution of land. The majority of South
Africans are still denied the right to vote and the exercise of political
power through constitutional means.
220 Signs of the Spirit
4. According to the UN Declaration on Apartheid, the system of
legalized racism will end when the right of all the people “to participate in
government on the basis of universal, equal suffrage, under a non-racial
voters’ roll, and by secret ballot” is guaranteed in a new South African
constitution. To this end it is essential that the negotiating of such a
constitution be carried out by a constituent assembly which is itself
elected democratically and not according to racial or ethnic groupings.
The free and democratic election of such an assembly will be the major
political challenge of the next period.
“Spirit of Truth — Set us Free!”
“If you continue in my word, you will be my disciples, and you will know
the truth and the truth will make you free.” (John 8:32)
5. Under the sub-theme, “Spirit of Truth — Set us Free!”, the
Canberra assembly has considered situations of grave crisis and challenge
to the church of Christ around the world. With respect to the South
African situation we have discussed the ways in which God’s Holy Spirit
is able to break down barriers of misunderstanding and prejudice, at the
same time opening people to the deeper truth which liberates and renews.
These discussions have driven us back to God’s word, to repentance and
to the discovery of the liberating truth which comes through discipleship
in Jesus Christ.
6. Through Bible study we have discerned the biblical meaning of
“truth” as that which is made visible and transparent. It is through the
Spirit (John 14) that we are exposed to our own sinfulness and forced to
be truthful (transparent) to God about the hidden racism in our hearts and
minds. Through God’s word of acceptance in Jesus Christ, proclaimed
during our worship together, we have sensed the Spirit’s power which
frees us from sin and enables us to be transparent and trusting to one
another and to God.
7. We have felt a strong bond of unity in the Spirit with the churches
of South Africa. With those who stand in the front line of the struggle
against apartheid we share the confident hope that the one God who
redeems in history will bring into being a new South Africa in which
isolation and fear are overcome through mutual acceptance and trust.
Commitments
8. We express our support and encouragement to all South Africans,
both black and white, who have dedicated their energies and talents to
Statements and Appeals on Public Issues 221
bring about a peaceful transition to a democratic, non-racial South Africa.
We want especially to express our gratitude to Dr Nelson Mandela,
deputy president of the African National Congress. Since his release from
prison on 11 February 1990, he has demonstrated an ability to transcend
historic animosities through a spirit of reconciliation, providing at the
same time vigorous, determined leadership in the struggle. To those in the
liberation movements, the trade unions and other institutions working to
bring authentic democracy to South Africa, we renew our pledge to keep
the faith and not to grow weary in support of their efforts until the day of
freedom comes.
9. We address a special word of gratitude, encouragement and support
to the churches of South Africa and to the South African Council of
Churches. It can be said of many of these churches that they “are afflicted
in every way but not crushed, perplexed but not driven to despair, always
carrying in the body the death of Jesus” (2 Cor. 4:8-10). In their
courageous witness and through their suffering they have given inspira¬
tion to the global communion of churches and have provided insight into
the meaning of discipleship to Jesus Christ. We encourage them to
persevere in the struggle. We pledge our support for their work of
reconstruction and reconciliation when democracy is established. As the
unity of the church is to be a sign of the unity of the human family, we
would also challenge them to do everything possible to express visibly the
unity of the church in South Africa.
10. We join in the spirit of the national conference of church leaders
in South Africa, which gathered in Rustenburg in November 1990, in
confessing before God and one another the ways in which we have
permitted, supported and refused to resist the dehumanizing, oppressive
system of apartheid. To the extent we have allowed our sisters and
brothers to suffer humiliation, dispossession and death for so long under
this oppressive system, we have denied the gospel of Jesus Christ and
violated our unity in the Holy Spirit.
1 1 . With our member churches in South Africa we are grieved by the
escalation of violence which has since 1989 claimed thousands of lives in
Natal and the Transvaal, causing considerable destruction to property,
swelling the number of refugees in neighbouring countries, and creating a
vast influx of displaced persons in Durban, Witwatersrand and other
cities. We urge the government of South Africa to act decisively to restore
peace and security, to end violence and to establish an impartial police
and security force in consultation with all partners in the negotiation
process. We appeal to all political organizations to restrain those who
222 Signs of the Spirit
engage in acts of violence within their ranks and to do everything possible
to encourage peace, tolerance for opposing opinions and mutual respect
and understanding. We express appreciation for the efforts of the South
African Council of Churches and the body of church leaders in South
Africa in promoting conciliation, investigating and analyzing the root
causes of violence and crime, and providing support for the victims
caught up in the conflict.
12. On the basis of consultation with the South African Council of
Churches and other partners within the South African community, we
strongly reaffirm the position of the WCC central committee on the need
to maintain sanctions against South Africa until all apartheid laws have
been repealed. We agree with the UN declaration on apartheid which
urges that measures be undertaken “to ensure that the international
community does not relax existing measures aimed at encouraging the
South African regime to eradicate apartheid, until there is clear evidence
of profound and irreversible changes”.
Recommendations
We request the central committee, as a matter of urgency, to initiate a
consultation process with member churches in South Africa, the South
African Council of Churches and the liberation movements, with a view:
a) to determining the criteria for “clear evidence of profound and
irreversible changes” and to agree together on the moment when the
lifting of sanctions would be justified;
b) to coordinating ecumenical action for reconstruction, reconciliation
and the appropriate means to promote a free, democratic, non-racial
and unitary state in South Africa.
We appeal to the South African government:
a) to repeal all repressive security legislation and to reorganize the police
and security forces in a manner representative of all sectors of South
African society and which is more accountable to impartial, demo¬
cratic institutions;
b) to create a climate conducive to negotiations in order to engender
confidence and enable participation in the process towards a demo¬
cratic constitution, freed from threats of violence and intimidation;
c) to provide for the security and protection of all partners in the
negotiation process, especially leading members of the African
National Congress, the Pan- Africanist Congress and other anti-apart¬
heid groups who have been subjected to harassment by right-wing
vigilantes and askaris supported by the security police.
Statements and Appeals on Public Issues 223
We encourage all South Africans to become involved in the process of
constructive change by striving to remove all vestiges of injustice,
seeking reconciliation and the healing of wounds, banishing fear and
mistrust, and renewing their commitment to building a nation in which
the new political order will be complemented by new attitudes, new
relationships of tolerance and respect for the humanity of all people.
We call upon all member churches, councils of churches and church-
related agencies to intensify their activities in support of a peaceful
transition to a truly democratic South Africa by:
a) appealing to their respective governments to maintain sanctions until
such time that all apartheid laws are abolished and the demise of
apartheid is declared to be irreversible, while continuing campaigns of
divestment from banks and transnational corporations;
b) continuing to make available to congregations and news media accu¬
rate information on the current situation in South Africa;
c) working in partnership with the South African Council of Churches to
implement programmes to repatriate and resettle returnees and to
develop plans for social reconstruction in post-apartheid South Africa;
d) supporting through prayer and action the churches in South Africa as
they work for unity and reconciliation on the basis of the Rustenburg
(1990) Declaration, “Towards a United Christian Witness in a Chang¬
ing South Africa”.
5.5. STATEMENT ON INTERNAL CONFLICTS
1. The central committee of the World Council of Churches, meeting
immediately after the seventh assembly (Canberra, February 1991), notes
with deep concern the proliferation and intensification of conflicts taking
place within the borders of a large number of sovereign states. Most of the
violent conflicts today are intra-state conflicts, often intensified by
external forces. Many of them have escalated to such a degree that they
pose threats to the integrity of states and to regional and international
stability. Yet, the international community has — until now — not found
adequate ways of dealing with these types of internal conflicts.
Sources and effects of internal conflicts
2. The sources of internal conflicts are complex. Many reflect genuine
struggles for justice. Central to these conflicts is the sense of oppression
224 Signs of the Spirit
experienced by groups of people who have a common ethnic, cultural,
linguistic, national or religious identity. These groups seek to escape,
domination by the state or other groups, or to evolve new forms of
relationships within or outside existing state structures, whereby they are
able to safeguard and manifest their own identity.
3. Religious identity can be a source of conflict between groups in
society. The misuse of religion for domination and for protection of
special interests has a profoundly destructive effect on particular groups
and society as a whole.
4. In many societies, prevailing social and economic policies lead to
the alienation of peoples from their ancestral lands, or competition
between different groups for an increasingly small share of public
resources, jobs, etc. Individuals and groups who find no response to, or
even access to a public forum for their needs and aspirations often turn to
violence, thus increasing both the militarization of societies and the
polarization of political discourse within them. The effects of these
conflicts include the escalation of human rights abuses, violence, massive
internal displacements of people, and a large increase in the number of
refugees and asylum-seekers. Such conflicts often have an impact on
neighbouring states, especially as refugees move across borders.
5 . Many internal conflicts are made more destructive by the interven¬
tion of other states which supply arms and financial support to the state or
to one party in the conflict. Provocation and manipulation by external
powers result in escalation of violence and internal repression, especially
of the poor and marginalized.
The role of churches and religious communities
6. Churches and other religious communities can play an important
positive role in contributing to the resolution of internal conflicts, even if
they themselves are victims of the situation. Where peoples or groups
experience oppression, religious communities can become the bearers of
national, ethnic or cultural identity and the guardians of the hopes and
aspirations of people for peace and justice. We acknowledge, however,
that churches and religious communities in some places have themselves
become contributors to internal conflicts, and that religious symbols and
values have been misused.
7. The churches have a special responsibility to seek resolution of
interconfessional and inter-religious conflicts. Interfaith and interconfes¬
sional dialogue thus become important tools in the resolution of internal
conflicts. Churches must also guard against the kind of relationships with
Statements and Appeals on Public Issues 225
the state that protect the social and economic privileges of an elite while
others, invariably the poor, are abandoned. Churches need to be able to
provide early warning about potential conflicts and to assist in seeking
solutions which safeguard the legitimate rights and identities of all
groups.
International response
8. The solving of internal conflicts has so far been seen as the
responsibility of the affected nation state. The United Nations has been
inhibited from being an effective instrument for resolving internal con¬
flicts or even for providing humanitarian assistance to the internally
displaced, because member states wish to protect their sovereignty. The
result is that internal conflicts are dealt with through the use of force,
other forms of oppression, or even attempts to destroy or annihilate
groups which the state identifies as a threat or a problem.
9. In some instances, the United Nations has been able to assist in the
resolution of conflicts and has helped to safeguard the rights of minorities
and other groups within states through the use of international human
rights mechanisms. Nevertheless, the increased number of people caught
in oppressive and violent situations of conflict urgently demands the
development of new instruments for resolving internal conflicts.
Recommendations
The central committee of the World Council of Churches:
1. Calls upon member churches:
a) to make serious efforts to be peace-makers in situations of internal
conflict through such means as prayer, education on peaceful resolu¬
tion of conflicts and the promotion of interconfessional and interfaith
dialogue;
b) to intensify their work for the protection of human rights with
particular attention to collective rights and the rights of minority
groups who are victims;
c) to intensify their advocacy work and humanitarian assistance to the
victims of internal conflicts such as refugees and internally displaced
persons;
d) to monitor situations carefully and to provide early warning about
potential conflicts;
e) to undertake self-examination of their role in internal conflicts in order
to identify where they have been helpful in resolving them, and where
226 Signs of the Spirit
they have directly or indirectly impeded resolution of conflicts or even
encouraged them;
f) to assist, wherever possible, in processes at the national level leading
to comprehensive and lasting peace.
2. Calls upon the United Nations and other intergovernmental bodies:
a) to give urgent attention to developing mechanisms within the United
Nations framework for resolving internal conflicts;
b) to intensify its work on the draft Declaration on the Rights of Persons
belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious or Linguistic Minority
Groups, and to promote efforts for the protection of minority rights;
c) to monitor and limit the supply or sale of arms, as well as financial
and other assistance by outside powers to warring parties in internal
conflicts.
5.6. STATEMENT ON THE PACIFIC
1. As the assembly of the World Council of Churches met for the
second time in the region of the Pacific Ocean (Canberra, 1991), its
attention was drawn again to the urgency of the manifold issues of the
Pacific. Recalling the resolution on the region at the sixth assembly in
Vancouver, Canada (1983), the central committee, meeting immediately
after the assembly, notes with alarm that the international community has
failed to address the critical problems which concern the Pacific.
2. Outside powers are intensifying their exploitation of the region’s
economic and geopolitical significance. Covering one-third of the earth’s
surface, the Pacific Ocean provides replacements for raw materials as
traditional resources are depleted. The vast distances and sparse popula¬
tion make it a convenient place for testing, dumping of nuclear and
industrial waste, storing and disposal of long-range missiles, and
weapons of mass destruction such as nuclear, chemical and biological
arms. The combination of economic, strategic and military factors has
turned the “ocean of peace” into a “nuclear lake” and one of the most
militarized regions of the world. The Pacific Ocean has been aptly termed
a “playground of the great powers”, and these powers show no regard for
the spiritual and economic significance of the ocean and land for the
Pacific peoples.
Statements and Appeals on Public Issues 227
3. The peoples of the Pacific islands, in most cases a majority in their
own lands, are powerless minorities when faced with the political
domination, economic strength and military might of the great powers.
One of the poorer regions of the world, the Pacific states are dependent on
external aid which is too often inappropriate and elitist for their fragile
and exploited economy.
4. The inadequacy of the international response to these serious
problems has added to several adverse developments for the peoples of
the Pacific. Notable among these are: the beginning of the destruction of
chemical weapons and toxic waste on Johnston Atoll; the grave health
hazards including the contamination of the aquatic food chain as a result
of nuclear and industrial waste pollution across the region; the ecological
repercussions of the “greenhouse effect” which threaten the existence
especially of low-lying countries; massive drift-net fishing of precious
pelagic resources; increasing tourism that benefits primarily external
interests, and heightened political instability arising from unjust eco¬
nomic policies, discriminatory statutes denying human rights, political
assassinations and coups d’etat.
5. Against this backdrop of turmoil and upheaval, the seventh
assembly stands with the peoples of the Pacific and gives thanks to
God for the witness of the churches in the Pacific. It expresses its deep
gratitude to the Pacific Conference of Churches and the Catholic
Bishops’ Conference of the Pacific for their leadership in drawing the
attention of the South Pacific Forum and the ecumenical community to
these developments. In supporting their concerns, the central com¬
mittee:
a) reaffirms the right of the Pacific people to a nuclear-free and indepen¬
dent Pacific;
b) renews its call to governments and transnational corporations immedi¬
ately to cease all weapons testing, nuclear or conventional, dumping
of nuclear and toxic waste, and calls on the United Nations to take all
appropriate measures;
c) urges the respect of the rights of the peoples of the Pacific to have the
principal authority for decisions which affect the region;
d) reaffirms its support for greater autonomy and independence for those
Pacific island peoples still under colonial domination;
e) reiterates the need for safeguarding indigenous values in the political
and socio-economic life of the Pacific societies through the elimina¬
tion of colonial and neo-colonial structures reflected in the activities of
transnational corporations, foreign media and tourism;
228 Signs of the Spirit
f) calls on the World Health Organization and scientific, academic and
research institutes to study and monitor the effects of nuclear testing
and waste dumping on the sea and the land, and calls on those
responsible to take immediate steps to redress and prevent further ill-
effects;
g) draws special attention to the disastrous consequences of global
warming for the Pacific and urges the international community, as a
matter of priority, to adopt concerted counter-measures;
h) asks the Pacific rim countries to involve all Pacific governments and
peoples as full and equal partners in all discussions on the region;
i) calls upon WCC member churches to:
1) continue to study the internal and external factors which contribute
to the militarization of their societies;
2) participate actively in the preparations for the 1992 convention on
world climatic change, ensuring that its special significance for the
Pacific is taken into account;
3) encourage all initiatives through advocacy and education to support
the aspirations of the Pacific peoples, including raising the issues
with their own governments; and
4) develop solidarity networks with the Pacific islanders and their
churches with a view to engaging the international community in
addressing systematically and on a sustained basis the challenges of
the Pacific today.
5.7. STATEMENT ON THE BALTIC STATES
AND OTHER REGIONS OF TENSION
IN THE SOVIET UNION
The central committee of the World Council of Churches, meeting in
Canberra in February 1991 immediately after the seventh assembly, has
followed with grave concern the most recent developments in the Baltic
states, as well as the conflicts and tensions arising from issues of national,
confessional and cultural identity in many parts of the Soviet Union. The
central committee brings the following to the attention of the churches for
prayer and action:
Statements and Appeals on Public Issues 229
1. The Baltic states
The Committee commends the democratically elected governments of
the Baltic states and all those who are determined to avoid violence and
pursue non-violent means. It affirms them as they seek just solutions to
their vital concerns and take into account in the process the need to
respect the integrity and aspirations of all the peoples of the Soviet Union,
remembering that decisions taken in the Baltic states have far-reaching
effects upon political processes throughout the Soviet Union.
The committee mourns the recent bloodshed and deaths of unarmed
civilians in Lithuania and Latvia, and welcomes the enquiry by the Soviet
government into the incidents which caused them. It is encouraged by the
Soviet government’s commitment to the Conference on Security and
Cooperation in Europe, and to its Charter of Paris, signed on 21
November 1990, according to which all participating states are to “refrain
from the threat or use of force” and to “settle disputes by peaceful
means”; it urges them to abide by their commitment in all circumstances.
The central committee appeals therefore to all parties involved to
regard the endeavour of the Baltic peoples to gain self-determination as
part of the process of achieving lasting peace and reconciliation through
new relationships in Europe, where basic human rights can be guaran¬
teed, including the rights of the minorities, and where the integrity of
every human person is respected; and it calls upon member churches:
a) to maintain their commitment to and support for peaceful processes in
the pursuit of democracy, human rights and self-determination in the
Baltic states, acknowledging the aspirations for independence;
b) to remember before God, in prayer and worship, the leaders of church
and government in the Soviet Union;
c) to render every possible assistance, both material and spiritual, to the
Baltic churches, especially taking into account the pastoral needs of
those who refuse military service on conscientious grounds;
d) to continue to offer prayers for the people of the Baltic states as they
strive for peace.
2. West Ukraine
Changes in legislation in the Soviet Union over the recent period have
meant welcome new freedoms for Christian communities previously
denied full expression of their faith. However, one disturbing result in
West Ukraine arising from these developments has been the increasing
confrontation between local Orthodox congregations and Catholics of the
Eastern rite (Uniates). In many instances, these confrontations have led to
230 Signs of the Spirit
violent clashes, and the forcible occupation by Uniates of churches
formerly used as places of worship by Orthodox congregations.
Such actions, often occurring with the apparent acquiescence of the
Uniate hierarchy and of the local authorities, are not only fomenting
community strife and hatred, but are also hindering the proper exercise of
ministry.
In expressing its profound concern, the central committee of the
World Council of Churches calls upon all the parties concerned at all
levels:
— to seek ways of resolving their differences by engaging in patient
negotiation in a spirit of reconcilation, mutual respect and Christian
love;
and calls upon the member churches:
— to pray for the leaders and people of both the Orthodox and Uniate
communities in West Ukraine, that they may seek and find peaceful
solutions to their difficulties, remembering that each is engaged in a
dialogue leading to the recognition of the other as part of the body of
Christ.
3. Armenia — Karabagh
The central committee expresses its concern about the worsening
situation in Karabagh. The Armenian people of Karabagh have been
victims of discrimination, intimidation and violence. There is continuing
tension between the republics of Azerbaijan and Armenia over the region
of Karabagh, historically part of Armenia.
The WCC, through statements and publications, has drawn the
attention of the churches, the public and the governments to this
matter.
The committee therefore appeals to all parties involved to seek ways
to resolve the conflicts in the region through peaceful means.
The committee especially appeals to the leaders of the Soviet Union:
— to continue efforts to undertake peaceful steps to safeguard legitimate
religious, cultural and national interests, including the right to self-
determination of the Armenian people of Karabagh;
— to take steps to ensure that the human rights of all people in the region
are protected.
The committee calls upon all member churches to continue to be
faithful in prayer for the Armenian people as well as all people in the
region as they strive for both justice and peace.
Statements and Appeals on Public Issues 23 1
4. Georgia
The central committee is also concerned about the situation in Georgia
where inter-ethnic tensions and conflicts in different parts of the country
continue to cause suffering to the people. It supports the right of the
Georgian people to self-determination, acknowledging the aspirations for
independent development.
The committee appeals to all parties concerned:
— to find ways to resolve the present conflicts in a peaceful manner and
through negotiations;
— to safeguard and promote human rights of all people in the region.
The committee calls upon member churches to uphold in intercession
all the people of Georgia and the church in Georgia at this difficult
time.
5.8. APPEAL ON SRI LANKA
1. The central committee of the World Council of Churches, meeting
in Canberra immediately after the seventh assembly (February 1991),
expresses its profound concern and distress over the situation in Sri
Lanka, in particular in the North and East, and in the South, rent apart by
multi-faceted conflicts. The continuing violence — leading to widespread
destruction, deaths and disappearances, ever-increasing numbers of
refugees both inside and outside Sri Lanka, the erosion of trust and the
breakdown of the country’s social fabric — gives cause for grave
concern.
2. The committee addresses an urgent call to the government of Sri
Lanka and to all those engaged in these conflicts to bring to a halt all acts
of violence. It especially appeals to the Sri Lankan government to stop
immediately the bombing and strafing in the Jaffna peninsula. It urges all
parties once again to seek, through peaceful negotiation, just and lasting
solutions to long-standing problems. It calls upon them to reject all
divisive appeals to ethnic prejudice and intolerance, and instead to
explore creative ways of healing the wounds of conflict, of establishing
trust and of building true multi-ethnic community based on genuine
equality.
3. The commitee calls upon the member churches to be constant in
prayer for all the suffering people of Sri Lanka, including those who have
232 Signs of the Spirit
taken refuge in India or other countries, and to offer them all possible
humanitarian assistance.
4. It commends in particular the Christian community of Sri Lanka to
the prayers of the member churches as they strive to be bearers of hope
and unity in their divided land.
5.9. APPEAL ON EL SALVADOR
1. The churches in El Salvador have repeatedly and urgently called
the attention of the worldwide ecumenical community to the suffering of
the Salvadorean people under the ravages of ten years of civil war.
Religious communities have bound up wounds, visited the prisoners and
cried out for peace, while they themselves have been persecuted,
attacked, and even suffered martyrdom for their faithful witness to the
truth. The World Council of Churches has on numerous occasions
expressed solidarity with our Salvadorean sisters and brothers, interven¬
ing with the authorities on their behalf, advocating their cause, paying
pastoral visits, and urging the churches, governments and the United
Nations and other intergovernmental organizations to attend to their
plight.
2. Through its member churches in El Salvador, the WCC follows
with great hope the efforts being made by the government of El Salvador
and the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) to negotiate
terms for a cessation of armed conflict and to engage in a political process
which could lead to lasting peace in the nation. Despite the agreements
reached thus far on respect for human rights, fundamental guarantees of
individual liberty and the integrity of the human person continue to be
violated.
3. Conscious of the deep-rooted social and economic inequalities
which lie behind the conflict, but also of the vast wellspring of human
resources working for justice among Salvadorean civic and non-govem-
mental organizations, the central committee of the World Council of
Churches, meeting in Canberra immediately after the seventh assembly
(February 1991):
a) commends and encourages the churches of El Salvador in their
continuing efforts to provide humanitarian assistance and pastoral
care, to defend and promote basic human rights, and to mobilize their
Statements and Appeals on Public Issues 233
nation’s civil and social forces in the quest for lasting peace; and
expresses unwavering support to the churches which persevere in their
courageous witness for justice in spite of continuous persecution;
b) calls urgently upon all parties to the armed conflict to end the war;
c) offers its full support for the negotiations now being conducted under
United Nations auspices;
d) appeals earnestly to the government of El Salvador, the armed forces
and the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front to respect the
agreed conditions for holding free and fair elections in March 1991,
and to intensify their efforts to reach further agreements which reflect
the profound hopes for justice expressed by Salvadorean civil and
grassroots communities, particularly those expressed by the perma¬
nent committee of the national debate for peace;
e) invites all governments, especially that of the United States of
America, to support the prompt and effective demilitarization of the
Central American region, and particularly of El Salvador, in accord¬
ance with the Esquipulas II Agreement, by stopping the supply of arms
and military aid which is inimical to the process of democratization ;
f) reiterates the appeals of the churches to the government of El Salvador
to establish a system of justice capable of protecting the human rights
of all citizens, and to show its good faith by completing full investiga¬
tions of the murders of Archbishop Romero and many other religious
and lay leaders, and by bringing all those responsible to trial;
g) reaffirms its strong support for the churches and social movements in
El Salvador as they work to build peace among the poorest of the
poor, witnessing to the creative power of the Spirit to bring unity,
love, reconciliation and dignity for all.
5.10. FOR INFORMATION
Notes regarding actions on proposals for public issues received from
assembly delegates
1. Public statements / appeals on the Baltic States, West Ukraine,
Armenia-Karabagh, Sri Lanka and El Salvador.
2. Global warming and related environmental problems - Message from
the officers of the central committee to concerned UN bodies. This
issue is highlighted in the report of section I.
234 Signs of the Spirit
3 . Anti-semitism - Letter from the general secretary to the member
churches dated 8 August 1990.
4. Debt crisis and other economic issues - to be dealt with through the
Commission on the Churches’ Participation in Development which is
preparing a major statement for the central committee in September
1991.
5. East Timor - Officers of the central committee to follow up the issue
in consultation with churches concerned.
6. Aids - Major issue addressed by several WCC sub-units. Informa¬
tion from the Christian Medical Commission.
1. Death penalty - Major policy statement by the central committee,
Geneva, March 1990.
8. Cyprus - Referred to in the statement on “The Gulf War, the Middle
East and the Threat to World Peace”.
9 . Drug crisis - Being dealt with in ongoing programmes.
10. Albania - The central committee in March 1990 expressed its
concern on the situation in Albania. While some worship services
have recently been allowed, the constitutional provision prohibiting
religion has not been changed. Recommended: statement by the
officers of the WCC calling for the support of member churches to
ensure religious freedom in Albania; the General Secretariat and the
Commission of the Churches on International Affairs to pursue the
matter in cooperation with the Conference of European Churches.
1 1 . Romania, with special reference to ethnic minorities - Statement on
the issue made by central committee, Geneva, March 1990. The
Conference of European Churches, in cooperation with the WCC,
has initiated a process of conversations and discussions among the
various churches and different ethnic communities in Romania. The
WCC should continue to support this.
12. UN Conference on Environment and development - Message from
the officers of the WCC to the preparatory committee of the confer¬
ence assuring support and participation in the preparations for this
significant event.
6 . The Report
of the Seventh Assembly
6.1. INTRODUCTION
As noted in 3.1, reports from each of the four sections were
“received” by the assembly. Comments from the plenary discussions have
been appended to the section reports, but these reports were not revised
on the basis of the discussions or formally “adopted” by the assembly.
Instead, a “report” integrating the work of the sections was produced by
one of the nine committees and presented to the full assembly for
adoption. WCC assemblies have always prepared “messages” to the
churches, but this is the first time that an assembly has produced such an
integrated report.
The report was presented by committee co-moderators, Ms Khushnud
Azariah (United, Pakistan) and Dr Paul Crow (Disciples, USA). The text,
said Ms Azariah, attempts to capture the spirit of the assembly and to
identify major issues that have surfaced in the sections. It is not a
consensus document. Attention is called to a number of issues that remain
unresolved.
Unfortunately, discussion of the report did not begin until past the
time when the assembly was to have adjourned. Several brief suggestions
for revision were offered. The committee accepted all but one — a
proposal to insert a paragraph urging churches to adopt inclusive language
with reference to both humanity and God. The ecumenical movement is
still struggling with the appropriate use of such language, said Dr Crow.
The proposed paragraph assumed a level of agreement that simply does
not exist at this time.
The report was adopted in substance and referred to the central
committee for final editing in response to the plenary discussion. The
referral was necessary since there was no opportunity for the revised
report to be returned to the assembly.
236 Signs of the Spirit
6.2. REPORT OF THE REPORT COMMITTEE
1. “Come, Holy Spirit — Renew the Whole Creation!” With this
prayer on their hearts Christians from around the world gathered 7-20
February 1991 in Canberra, Australia, for the seventh assembly of the
World Council of Churches. This southern “Land of the Spirit”1 — a land
of stark beauty, where the air is filled with the sharp cries of birds and the
pungent smell of eucalyptus leaves — formed the background to this new
stage of the churches’ search for visible unity, for words of prophecy and
wisdom, and for common witness and service to the world.
2. We met at a pivotal point in history, a time of disappointed visions
of peace, of wars and rumours of wars, of threats to planet earth and to all
the creatures which it bears. We were sustained by a deep hope in the
renewing energy of the Holy Spirit. We confessed the Holy Spirit as one
with the Father and with Christ, undivided, indivisible, embracing the
whole created order within its life-giving, reconciling and redemptive
love. Yet we recognized, too, the need for discernment and the danger of
speaking too easily and quickly about the presence of the Spirit, of
identifying the Spirit with our own priorities and programmes. We were
challenged to submit all that we are and all that we do to the Spirit’s
purifying judgment, waiting for the Spirit to reveal all truth.
3. This assembly as those before it was shaped by the context in which
it met. Through the presence and testimony of the original inhabitants of
this land we learned of their history, suffering and hope for a future
marked by the full recognition of their unique identity and dignity. We
learned of serious efforts towards this end by both the church and the
wider society, but recognize that much remains to be done. There were
moving moments of reconciliation when Aboriginal Christians invited
non- Aboriginal Australians to join in working for a just society, and when
at the celebration of the Lima liturgy officers of the World Council of
Churches and Aboriginal Christians shared the eucharist together.
4. Our life and work were warmly supported by the Australian
churches, and for many a high point of the assembly will remain the
dramatic presentation “Under the Southern Cross” which presented the
vitality and diversity of Australian culture and the important role which
the churches play within it. There were many cherished chances to meet
1 From the title of a book written in preparation for the assembly on the Australian religious
experience.
The Report of the Seventh Assembly 237
Australian Christians, and many participants took the opportunity to
experience the worship and wider life of a local church. For all the care
shown and work done on our behalf, we are profoundly grateful. We
register our deep gratitude also for the presentation made to the assembly
by the prime minister of Australia, and for the cooperation and support
extended by the civil authorities of this land.
5. We were nurtured in this assembly by a rich worship life both
solemn and festive, and by Bible study which drew us together in
reflection on the theme and sub-themes. In prayer and praise of the Triune
God, in confession together of the faith, and in common reflection upon
the scriptures, we experienced the unity which is already ours in the
Spirit. We met with gratitude and joy many Christians from diverse
confessions and cultures, forging and renewing bonds of friendship and
affection.
6. The sixth assembly in Vancouver in 1983 had envisioned the
churches growing more and more into Jesus Christ; at Canberra they were
called to grow in their relations one with another, to grow into a deeper
communion in faith and life. This requires bringing cherished traditions
and convictions to the discussion, listening and learning from one
another, and worshipping and working together. It may require that we
offer — or admit that we need to receive — a costly forgiveness.
7. The concern for a speedy end to the conflict in the Persian Gulf,
and a just resolution of the situation there, was constantly on our minds.
There were differences of opinion as to how this should be achieved, but
we were united in our anguish for all who suffer and resolute in our prayer
and witness for peace.
8. The theme of gospel and culture arose with new force as we heard
how concepts and images from particular cultures are being used as
vehicles for Christian truth. We affirm that the church is called to
communicate the gospel message intended for all humankind so that it
may be heard, understood and accepted in all cultures. Such handing on
of God’s truth requires faithfulness to the apostolic faith of the church,
creative application of the gospel to contemporary issues and situations,
and self-criticism of efforts to communicate the gospel in fresh ways. We
continue to search for a common understanding of how to live out these
criteria in different contexts.
9. This more than any previous assembly sought to embrace the full
diversity of God’s people. There was serious commitment to sharing
leadership among women and men, young and old, ordained and lay.
Strenuous efforts were made to bring new persons into the ecumenical
238 Signs of the Spirit
community. This very openness has raised fundamental questions of
participation and representation both for the World Council of Churches
and for its member churches, questions which must be addressed in the
years ahead.
10. There was at this assembly a fresh awareness of our divisions as
wounding the body of Christ. For many the greatest pain was felt when
we were unable to express fully our communion by sharing the eucharist.
It was asked: how may we help overcome the divisions of the world when
we cannot even celebrate together our Lord’s sacrifice for its salvation?
Here and elsewhere we need desperately a mobilizing portrait of visible
reconciled life that will hold together an absolute commitment to the unity
and the renewal of the church and an absolute commitment to the
reconciliation of God’s world — and that will show us the inseparable
relation between them.
11. In these and other areas we are practising a costly growing
together. Both hurting and healing are held within the circle of Christian
community, that healing may prevail. Holding fast to one another,
bearing the cost of our divisions, we seek from the Spirit of unity the gift
of reconciliation and renewal.
* * *
12. The heart of the assembly was the work done in its four sections,
exploring aspects of the theme relating to creation, to truth and freedom,
to unity and reconciliation, and to transformation and renewal. Several
issues and questions emerged in more than one section; these included the
nature and role of the church, the activity of the Holy Spirit, the relation
of the gospel to other cultures, the search for a renewed community of
women and men, and the transformation of the international economic
order.
Section I: Giver of Life — Sustain Your Creation!
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth... And God
saw everything that God had made, and behold, it was very good” (Gen.
1:1,31).
1 3 . The universe in all its beauty and grandeur manifests the glory of
the Triune God who is the source of all life. All things have been made in
Christ, in whom God’s creation comes to fulfilment. The divine presence
of the Spirit in creation binds us as human beings together with all created
life. We are accountable before God in and to the community of life, so
The Report of the Seventh Assembly 239
that we understand ourselves as servants, stewards and trustees of the
creation. We are called to approach creation in humility, with reverence,
respect and compassion, and to work for the mending and healing of
creation as a foretaste and pointer to the final gathering up of all things in
Christ (cf. Eph. 1:10).
14. The earth was created by God out of nothing in a pure and simple
act of love, and the Spirit has never ceased to sustain it. Yet our earth is in
grave peril, the very creation groaning and travailing in all its parts (Rom.
8:22). This is a “sign of the times”, calling us to return to God and to ask
the Spirit to re-orient our lives. Through misunderstanding — and
sometimes through deliberate choice — Christians have participated in
the destruction of nature, and this requires our repentance. We are called
to commit ourselves anew to living as a community which respects and
cares for creation.
The theology of creation: a challenge for our time
15. What is our place as human beings in the natural order? The earth
itself, this little watery speck in space, is about 4.5 billion years old. Life
began about 3.4 billion years ago. We ourselves came on the scene some
80,000 years ago, just yesterday in the twinkling of the Creator’s eye. It is
shocking and frightening for us that the human species has been able to
threaten the very foundations of life on our planet in only about 200 years
since modem industrialization began. So where do we belong in the
Creator’s purpose?
16. The Christian scriptures testify that God is the Creator of all, and
that all that was created “was very good” (Gen. 1:31; cf. 1 Tim. 4:4).
God’s Spirit continually sustains and renews the earth (Ps. 104:30).
Humanity is both part of the created world and charged to be God’s
steward of the created world (Gen. 1:26-27, 2:7). We are charged to
“keep” the earth and to “serve” it (Gen. 2:15), in an attitude of that
blessed meekness which will inherit the earth.
17. Human sin has broken the covenants which God has made and
subjected the creation to distortion, disruption and disintegration — to
“futility” (Rom. 8:20). In our own day we have brought the earth to the
brink of destruction. But we confess that the redemptive work of Christ
was the renewal not only of human life, but of the whole cosmos. Thus
we confidently expect that the covenant promises for the earth’s whole¬
ness will be fulfilled, that in Christ “the creation itself will be set free
from its bondage to decay and will obtain the glorious freedom of the
children of God” (Rom. 8:21).
240 Signs of the Spirit
18. The sacramental Christian perspective influences our approach to
the creation; we confess that “the earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it,
the world, and those who live in it” (Ps. 24:1). In the whole of the
Christian life we take up the created things of this world and offer them to
God for sanctification and transfiguration so that they might manifest the
kingdom, where God’s will is done and the creation glorifies God
forever.
19. We agree that some past understandings have led to domination,
to forms of control which have been destructive of life, and to views of
nature which regard it as subject to human “ownership” and unqualified
manipulation. Many streams of the tradition have misunderstood human
“dominion” (Gen. 1:28) as exploitation, and God’s transcendence as
absence. The more theology stressed God’s absolute trancendence and
distance from the material sphere, the more the earth was viewed as an
“unspiritual” reality, as merely the object of human exploitation. While
we repudiate these consequences of some theologies of creation, we also
know that they are closely related to ways of life which have received
theological sanction and support.
20. We are one in our confession of the Holy Spirit as the Source and
Giver of Life, and have rejoiced in exploring together at this assembly the
presence and the power of the Spirit. But much remains to be explored.
How do we understand the relationship between the presence of the Spirit
and “sustainability”, and indeed the meaning of that word and relation¬
ship for our common life? These are life and death questions for humanity
and for the planet as a whole.
21. Our exploration of a Spirit-centred theology of creation has led us
to deeper understanding. The heritage of indigenous peoples and non-
Westem cultures, especially those who have retained their spirituality of
the land, offers new insights for all. Worldwide, women and the land
have often been seen and treated in parallel ways. The Spirit works to heal
the wounds of both. Women’s experience is invaluable in helping us to
understand and to heal our relationships with the earth and with each
other. The poor, who invariably suffer first and most from a degraded
environment, also teach us things we must know for an adequate theology
of creation. In a world so intimately interconnected, their struggles are the
critical starting point for all. The community of scientists is also indis¬
pensable, for they carry the single most powerful set of tools for our
understanding nature and nature’s fragility in the face of human on¬
slaught. And beyond this, our sense of the mystery of life and our awe
and wonder at the Creator’s handiwork is deepened by what we learn
The Report of the Seventh Assembly 241
from science. We thank God for all these sources of insight, wisdom and
understanding.
22. Opinion is divided, however, on how to relate inherited faith
claims to the new cultural perspectives of emerging Christian voices, on
how to relate Christian accounts of creation to creation stories from other
traditions, and on how to relate faith to science in the continuing dialogue
on creation.
23. Surely the Spirit blows where it wills. We hope that the WCC as a
whole will join our plea to stand in its refreshing breezes, even as we
carry on the necessary task of discerning together the spirits to see if they
are of God. There are new perspectives and new partners in today’s
world. We cannot turn our back on them.
Towards an ethic of economy and ecology
24. In the institutions of the sabbath, the sabbatical year and the
jubilee year, the Bible has shown us how to reconcile economics and
ecology, how to recreate people and society (Ex. 23, Lev. 25). Effective
economics and stewardship of the earth’s resources must be seen
together. Law and mercy, discipline and social justice complement one
another.
25. Reducing the destructive human domination over creation calls
for a new, inclusive experience of community and sharing. The biblical
vision is of an intimate and unbreakable relationship between develop¬
ment, economy and ecology. This vision is dimmed when progress is
seen as the production and consumption of more and more material
things, while development is equated with growth. The vision vanishes
when wealth is cut off from the needs of the poor, and the world is
divided between North and South, industrialized and non-industrialized
nations. Exploitation of nation by nation, of people by companies, and of
those who have only the work of their hands to offer by those who have
access to powerful economic resources, leads inevitably to conflict. The
unfair distribution of resources brings starvation to our neighbours, while
destroying the integrity of our souls. In efforts to increase the gross
national product, the gross natural product is diminished.
26. Any policy or action that threatens the sustainability of creation
needs to be questioned. We cannot ignore the burden of debts that can
never be repaid, bio-technologies through which human beings usurp
powers that belong to the Creator, or the fact that the root causes of
population growth lie largely in the poverty and lack of social security
still prevailing in two-thirds of our world. In facing these and other
242 Signs of the Spirit
crucial issues we need the dynamic power of the Spirit which inte¬
grates faith and life, worship and action to overcome our fear of
change.
27. The free-market economy facilitates rapid response to needs
expressed in financial terms. But markets and prices do not possess any
inherent morality. The vast and shameful arms trade illustrates clearly the
immorality of our world economic order; it is one of the root causes of the
Gulf war. The international ecumenical movement has for years criticized
the lack of economic democracy, social injustice, and the stimulation of
human greed. But flagrant international inequality in the distribution of
income, knowledge, power and wealth persists. Acquisitive materialism
has become the dominant ideology of our day. The irresponsible exploita¬
tion of the created world continues. Changes will come only by active
opposition and informed and responsible social pressure. We are now
more than ever aware that the market economy is in need of reform, and
to that end we suggest the following means:
28. Local self- empowerment: Around the world we see that small
groups of people of all races and classes, filled with courage and hope,
can make a difference. These small local communities try to live against
the trends of an acquisitive society in which individual greed and social
and ecological exploitation predominate. Those forms of local direct
action often bring a new quality of life based not primarily on acquiring
goods, but on living in right relation with all of creation. A similar change
in values is even more necessary on the part of those who enjoy more
privileged life-styles.
29. Government control: Today the limits of bureaucratic control are
easily seen. Legislation is effective only if it is part of a full process of
social change, applied within a properly functioning legal system. In
many countries more could be done to promote the effectiveness and
democratic character of governmental control. Without both political and
economic democracy there will be no genuine respect for creation. The
effective investigation, public prosecution and punishment of ecological
crimes is a matter of urgent concern.
30. Rethinking economics: We should not lose sight of how the world
community must be accountable to the whole creation, and how it is
responsible for the economic and ecological choices to which the world
system of trade leads. Market prices rarely reflect real long-term scar¬
cities. Prices should reflect the need to conserve and to regenerate what
nature offers; a market economy price is based on demand and supply,
which are both being calculated on a very narrow, short-term basis. Non-
The Report of the Seventh Assembly 243
material needs receive no price; hence they are often not satisfied through
consumption, but only increased.
31. What we need, therefore, is a new concept of value, one based not
on money and exchange but rather on sustainability and use. We need
likewise a new concept of development as opposed to simple growth, a
development which results in a self-sustaining whole. What is “just” and
“right”, then, must be found in social, biological, and physical relation¬
ships involving humanity and the earth. Such a true development focuses
on the level of the eco-system as a whole.
32. A universal declaration on human obligations towards nature:
The existing Universal Declaration of Human Rights serves as a moral
standard for those charged with the responsibility of exercising power. In
June 1992, the second United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development that will take place in Brazil will present a plan for an “earth
charter”. It would comprise an international agreement on the obligations
and responsibilities of governments to the global environment and to
future generations. We think that the charter should include a section on
the obligations of industrial and agricultural producers of goods and
services, with special reference to global corporations, and a section on
the responsibilities of consumers. There should be judicial mechanisms
for the implementation of the charter from international to local levels.
And an international organization, comparable to Amnesty International,
should be formed to expose violations of the charter and to mobilize the
public conscience. Collective action by consumers would be very helpful
to this end.
33. Education: We need to educate ourselves, each other and our
children in the new ecological values and responsibilities. Such learning
should take place in the home, school, church and work place. And
beyond this, we need a spirituality which will enable us to resist the forces
which treat us only as acquisitive, exploiting creatures. We need to catch
the biblical vision of development, ecology and social justice. Then we
must go out into the world and, as a new type of missionary, challenge
every economic, social and political structure which does not conform to
the standards of the gospel.
The church: for the life of all creation
34. The church, a redeemed community which is a sign of the “new
creation” in Christ, is called by God to a crucial role in the renewal of
creation. Empowered by the Spirit, Christians are called to repent of their
misuse and abuse of nature and to reflect critically upon the ways of
244 Signs of the Spirit
understanding the Bible, and the theological systems which have been
used to justify such abuse.
35. A new appreciation of the theology of creation and a fresh
awareness of Christian responsibility towards all of creation may deepen
the faith, and enrich the life and work, of the church.
Section II: Spirit of Truth — Set us Free!
“For freedom Christ has set us free. . . For you were called to freedom,
brothers and sisters...” (Gal. 5:1,13).
Christian witness to the liberating Spirit of God
36. Freedom is a gift of the Holy Spirit. By the action of the Spirit in
Christ men and women are set free from sin and from captivity to the
principalities and powers of this world, from the forces of evil which
tempt all human beings to do injustice to others. The Holy Spirit frees us,
opens us to new possibilities, and calls us to work for the freedom of
others.
37. “When the Spirit of Truth comes he will guide you into all truth”
(John 16:13). The Spirit of Truth in bearing witness to Jesus Christ
convinces the world of sin. Sin has brought division, discord and
confusion into the created universe. Truth is often not told and is often
hard to tell; but we need to know the truth before we can be truly free. The
Spirit of Truth re-establishes and restores the integrity of both persons and
communities. By the Spirit we are able to know the truth and this sets us
free to live a life based on love, which resists unjust dominations of all
kinds.
38. As individuals and as churches we have at times forgotten our
Christian vocation to witness to the gospel of freedom and truth. The
Holy Spirit calls us to recognize our responsibilities for the divisions in
the church and in the world and to follow the path of repentance.
Metanoia and te ’ shuvah, the biblical terms for repentance, mean a
radical change of mind, a transformation. Such repentance is the way
leading to reconciliation, sanctification, and salvation in Christ.
39. The Spirit of freedom and truth moves us to witness to the justice
of the kingdom of God and to resist injustice in the world. We manifest
the life of the Spirit by striving for the release of those who are captive to
sin and by standing with the oppressed in their struggles for liberation,
justice and peace. Liberated by the Spirit we are empowered to under¬
stand the world from the perspective of the poor and vulnerable and to
give ourselves to mission, service and the sharing of our resources.
The Report of the Seventh Assembly 245
40. Our theological perspective convinces us that we need to affirm
the vision of an inhabited world (oikoumene) based on values which
promote life for all. As Christians we seek a world of social and economic
justice. We believe that the WCC and its member churches can witness to
the liberating Spirit of God by joining their efforts with those of national
and international organizations which strive for justice and freedom, and
against the abuse of human rights. We believe that the gospel calls
Christians to be active in the promotion and defence of human rights: the
rights of women and children, the rights of minorities, the rights of those
oppressed by racism and economic injustice. We are especially concerned
about the human rights of young people who so often suffer dispropor¬
tionately the effects of war, poverty, racism, unemployment, drugs and
other social problems.
Towards a world in which justice prevails
41. Through the six preceding assemblies the World Council of
Churches has called attention to the need to renew the international
economic order. The ecumenical process on Justice, Peace and the
Integrity of Creation (JPIC) confirmed the view that prevailing models of
economic growth and world trade do not create conditions for a just and
sustainable world society but rather destroy the ecological systems of the
world, provoke massive migrations and lead to wars. The organization of
the international market in ways which would promote life and justice for
all remains a major challenge. We look for a review leading to more
accountable and just economic and monetary structures, within the
jurisdiction of the United Nations and the International Court of Justice.
The creation of a just world economic order may require the creation of
new international organizations.
42. Closely linked to the present economic order and the organiza¬
tion of the international market is the ongoing debt crisis which, since
the end of the 1970s, has meant the impoverishment of the most
deeply-indebted nations of Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America,
and the Pacific. The debt crisis also threatens the economic prospects
of the former “socialist” nations of Eastern Europe and is introducing
tensions, financial instability and economic recession in North
America, Western Europe and Japan. In this very serious situation the
WCC and its member churches are called to share their energies and
resources with those who suffer the effects of the world economic
system. The critical reformulation of this system must be one of our
priorities.
246 Signs of the Spirit
43. As Christians we seek a world of social and economic justice.
This includes the empowerment of the victims of injustice and respect and
care for those who are vulnerable, oppressed and dispossessed. The
networks of concern that churches and Christian communities can build
together and with other organizations can play a positive role in this
process.
44. Racism, one of the terrible sins of humankind, is incompatible
with the gospel of Christ. It is not simply exercised through personal
prejudice but is also embodied in the structures and institutions of society.
When members of one race or group seek to dominate those of another
they are not truly free but are enslaved by their own fear and desire for
control. Being oppressed and being an oppressor are both spiritually
disabling. We see the need for both individual repentance of the sin of
racism and for changes to abolish structural and institutional racism. The
liberating voice of the Spirit calls us to embrace all our sisters and
brothers in love and with justice.
45. Some specific aspects of racism which concern us are: the
suffering of the black diaspora within predominantly white societies, the
increased racial tensions occurring as the result of massive migration of
peoples, and the disturbing currents of racism in many regional conflicts,
including the present conflict in the Middle East. We need also to
recognize the particular vulnerability of women and children, who often
suffer double discrimination.
46. The ethnicity which is newly emerging in Europe poses another
challenge to our churches as ethnic groups are often defined in religious
terms as well as by language and origin. Christianity runs the risk of being
a divisive rather than a unifying force within the new political situations,
and here dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church is essential.
47. At this assembly in Australia we are particularly conscious of the
struggles of our Aboriginal brothers and sisters for a recognition of their
history, culture, spirituality and land rights. We affirm the efforts towards
justice and reconciliation made by some churches and other groups. We
support all those who seek justice for indigenous peoples in Australia and
in other countries.
48 . The Spirit of truth calls us to know and to tell the truth about our
histories and to repent of racism in the past as well as in the present.
Anniversaries, such as the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Columbus
in the Americas in 1992, are a particular opportunity for churches to
reflect soberly on their history in the light of the gospel, and to consider
what actions are appropriate to achieve reconciliation and justice.
The Report of the Seventh Assembly 247
49. Communication in the light and power of the Spirit supports and
sustains the building of a community of justice and equips us to challenge
the powers which are opposed to the Spirit of truth. Our communication
as Christians must be prophetic, serving the cause of justice, peace, and
the integrity of creation. We are to communicate with one another in love,
speaking the truth and listening to hear what is truly being said, rather
than what we want to hear.
50. The mass media are powerful means of control, where the truth is
often not told and we are unable to exercise an informed and free
judgment. Control may be exercised by governments, the market, or the
dominant culture. We are specially concerned about the influence on
children of the media’s promotion of violence, pornography and obscen¬
ity. Churches can seek ways to educate people to be discerning listeners,
viewers and readers and to develop people’s participation in communica¬
tion. We encourage our churches to find ways to develop communications
for liberation, to promote good interpersonal communication and the
telling of the stories of the people. We encourage individual Christians
who work in the field of communications to exercise their Christian
witness in the work-place.
51. The search for lasting peace and meaningful security presents
different challenges in the various regions of the world. The Seoul
covenant (from the JPIC process) with its four interlocking elements of
protection of the environment, alleviation of debts, demilitarization of
international relations and the rejection of racism, provides us with a
helpful framework for our Christian commitment to peace with justice.
52. We affirm the roles of the United Nations and the International
Court of Justice, and believe that these and other constructive interna¬
tional instruments for peace and security need to be developed and
strengthened.
53. Churches are called to serve as examples of peace-making, not
least by making peace among themselves. They must resist the use of
religious factors to cause or exacerbate conflict, and we urge that they
strengthen their regional solidarity in work for peace. The World Council
of Churches could play a greater role in education for peace and in
working for reconciliation in situations of conflict between churches and
states.
54. The relationship between men and women is fundamental to the
human condition although there are major cultural differences in the
expression of such relationships. Sexual difference is a gift of God in
creation but our human societies are often distorted by sexism (that is,
248 Signs of the Spirit
discrimination based on gender). Specific aspects of sexism which
concern us are the economic injustice experienced by many women and
the growing phenomenon of the feminization of poverty (in other words
the fact that increasingly the poor are women). In the work-place women
are not only frequently underpaid and exploited but also are often forced
to participate on male terms, which take little notice of their special needs
and responsibilities. At work, at home and in society generally it is
common for women and children to be the victims of male violence.
55. The Ecumenical Decade of the Churches in Solidarity with
Women is an urgent call to the churches to give creative support to
women’s movements and groups which challenge oppressive structures in
the global community and in the local community and church. The form
which solidarity with women will take depends very much on local
circumstances and on the needs and aspirations of women themselves, but
we are sure that the full participation of women in our churches and
societies will encourage the renewal of community.
56. As we affirm that “in Christ there is neither male nor female”
(Gal. 3:28) we call on Christian communities and families to strive for
equality in relationships, for mutual respect, a sharing of tasks and
responsibilities and new models of caring and sharing. We acknowledge
that churches differ in their approaches to the question of the ordination of
women. Some see it as an issue of justice while others do not. In this
situation we urge mutual respect for the other’s position in the spirit of
love and understanding.
57. Facing situations of tyranny and oppression, striving for justice
and peace, we often tend to lose heart and hope. As Paul exhorts the
Galatian Christians not to give in to the desires of human nature, so we
are called to stand fast in the freedom of Christ, to be obedient to the
truth, and to walk by the Spirit. All this is made possible by the power of
the Holy Spirit.
Section III: Spirit of Unity — Reconcile Your People!
“Through Christ God reconciled us to himself and gave us the
ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:18).
58. Christians see truth in different ways and yet at the same time are
united in the power of the Holy Spirit. Our rich diversity of insights and
practices is a gift of the Holy Spirit. Sadly all too often diversity is a cause
of division even in the life of the church. Yet as members of the body of
Christ we are already united by our common baptism; guided by the Holy
Spirit, we are drawn into a koinonia (communion) rooted in the giving
The Report of the Seventh Assembly 249
and receiving life of the Holy Trinity. What we work towards is unity of
faith, life and witness. In this process it will be especially important to
face up to the divisions which prevent us from sharing the eucharist
together, and make it impossible for churches to recognize each other’s
ministries.
59. Christians are even more deeply divided from people of other
faiths and ideologies, even though we share a common humanity and face
common challenges and tasks. There are also deep divisions within and
between other living faiths and ideologies.
60. From the depth and pain of our divisions we cry “Spirit of unity
— reconcile your people”. Reconciliation happens when there is honest
recognition of the actual sin committed against our neighbour and when
practical restitution has been made for it. When costly repentance meets
costly forgiveness the Holy Spirit can lead us into community
(koinonia) .
Christian community as koinonia in the Spirit
61. In developing perspectives on ecclesiology, in discussing the
nature and mission of the church, the idea of koinonia can be most
helpful. This is so particularly as we reflect upon the identity of our own
church in relation to ecumenical developments such as the text Baptism,
Eucharist and Ministry (BEM), which has received encouraging
responses from so many churches. Koinonia in the Holy Spirit is based on
sharing in the life of the Trinitarian God and is expressed by sharing life
within the community. It becomes possible through reconciliation with
God and with one another in the power of the Holy Spirit.
62. Unity and diversity are twin elements in Christian koinonia, but
that diversity must have its limits. For example, amidst all diversity the
confession must be maintained of Jesus Christ as God and Saviour, the
same yesterday, today and forever. And a diversity that divides and
excludes, thus destroying the life of the body of Christ, is unacceptable.
63. The gospel finds its historical expression in many cultures, which
are transformed, renewed and corrected by it. Though national and ethnic
identities are legitimate they should not be allowed to impair the unity of
the church, or to become masks which shelter un-Christian elements.
64. In reflecting on the relationship between unity and koinonia we
find a new vision in the statement entitled “The Unity of the Church as
Koinonia: Gift and Calling”, which was prepared by the Faith and Order
Commission at the invitation in 1987 of the WCC central committee and
has been adopted by this assembly.
250 Signs of the Spirit
65. The statement affirms that the purpose of God according to holy
scripture is to gather, by the power of the Holy Spirit, the whole of
creation under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The church is the foretaste of
this God which is promised for the whole creation. It is called to proclaim
reconciliation and to provide healing, to overcome divisions based on
race, gender, age, culture or colour and to bring all people into commu¬
nion with God. It is a sad fact that churches have failed to draw the
consequences for their own life from the degree of communion which
they have already experienced, and from the agreements already achieved
through the ecumenical movement.
66. The unity of the church is envisioned as a koinonia (communion)
given and expressed in the common confession of the apostolic faith; a
common sacramental life entered by the one baptism and celebrated
together in one eucharistic fellowship; a common life in which members
and ministries are mutually recognized and reconciled; and a common
mission witnessing to the gospel of God’s grace to all people and serving
the whole of creation. The goal of the search for full communion is
realized when all the churches are able to recognize in one another the
one, holy, catholic and apostolic church in its fullness. This urges action,
for in taking specific steps together the churches express and encourage
the enrichment and renewal of Christian life.
67. A true community of women and men is God’s gift and promise
for humanity, which is created “in God’s image” — male and female
(Gen. 1:27); and the church, as sign of that which God desires for women
and men, is called to embody that community in its own life. Today
Christians from many traditions look together for a more complete and
authentic community of women and men. We affirm that the domination
of women by men does not belong to human community as intended in
God’s creation (Gen. 1,2) but to the consequences of sin, which distort
the community of women and men as well as the relationship between
human beings and nature (Gen. 3:16-19). The God who created us as
women and men calls us into community. The Christ who identifies with
our suffering calls us to become his body. The Spirit who empowers us to
witness and serve sends us forth as God’s agents, co-workers for a new
heaven and a new earth.
Towards a wider ecumenical community
68. Particularly in this century the world has witnessed the rise and
growth of movements which emphasize the Holy Spirit and the gifts of
the Holy Spirit (charisms) or, as they themselves like to put it, “baptism
The Report of the Seventh Assembly 25 1
in the Spirit” or “filling with the Spirit”. They are not all of the same type
but are called charismatic or pentecostal movements and, in Africa, are
sometimes identified with African instituted churches.
69. In their emphases on the charisms of the Spirit described in the
New Testament and their rediscovery of the ministry of healing, these
movements are valid expressions of Christian faith. If seen as based on a
reappropriation of the gifts received in baptism they can be integrated into
the life of the churches, bringing them many gifts. They may also
represent stronger faith and fellowship, increased spontaneity, openness
and freedom among worshippers, all of these leading to greater participa¬
tion in the life of the churches. There are, however, negative implications
for the ecumenical movement if “filling with the Spirit” as a “second
experience” after baptism is seen as normative for all Christians. Such
teaching may be divisive, as may be an over-emphasis on the Holy Spirit
as working independently of the Father and the Son.
70. There is often misunderstanding between Pentecostals and Chris¬
tians of other traditions. Some Pentecostals have rejected the traditional
churches in a desire to enliven their own worship; some have rejected the
ecumenical movement as a “human” attempt to produce Christian unity,
or because of genuine theological differences about the nature of the
Christian faith and its expression in the modem world. But others have
sought fellowship with Christians outside their boundaries, particularly
with evangelicals. They have begun to take an interest in questions of
visible church unity; traditional churches have in turn become more open
to the spiritual and theological insights that Pentecostals bring. In Latin
America, for example, Pentecostals (now the numerically dominant form
of Protestantism in the region) take part in the Latin American Council of
Churches. Similar dialogue has been taking place in other areas as well.
These hopeful signs bode well for future efforts to bring the churches
closer together.
The Christian community in mission
71. A reconciled and renewed creation is the goal of the church’s
mission. The vision of God uniting all things in Christ (Eph. 1:10) is the
driving force of the church’s life of sharing, motivating all efforts to
overcome economic inequality and social divisions.
72. Whatever our approach to mission at home or abroad, our mission
needs to be “in Christ’s way”. Wholeness of mission demands a will to
break down barriers at every level, and involves the whole people of God
in sharing, serving and renewal in a spirit of love and respect. Each
252 Signs of the Spirit
church acting in mission is acting on behalf of the whole body of Christ.
At the same time we affirm local ecumenical endeavours in mission.
Always we need to remember our original understanding of mission,
which is preaching, teaching and healing. It is best done together, and
should never divide, alienate or oppress. Our conviction is not hesitant or
partial that Jesus Christ through the action of the Holy Spirit is God’s
saving presence for all.
73. Since the church’s mission is to reconcile all with God and with
one another, sharing can be recognized as part of mission in Christ’s way.
It includes sharing faith, sharing power, sharing material resources. Such
sharing encourages reconciliation. We affirm that what we call “ours” is
given by God in love, and is given to be shared. At times sharing offers
up and receives emptiness and suffering as well as fullness and joy. There
can and must be no barriers to sharing, whether giving or receiving. In
this spirit we affirm the WCC “Guidelines for Sharing” as an important
means towards common mission and service.
74. The gospel of Jesus Christ must become incarnate in every
culture. When Christianity enters any culture there is a mutual encounter,
involving both the critique of culture by the gospel and the possibility of
the culture questioning our understanding of the gospel. Some of the ways
in which the gospel has been imposed on particular cultures call for
repentance and healing. In each case we need to ask: Is the church
creating tension or promoting reconciliation?
The Christian community in relation to others
75. The Holy Spirit works in ways that surpass human understanding.
The Bible testifies to God as sovereign of all nations and peoples. God’s
love and compassion include everyone. We witness to the truth that
salvation is in Christ, but we seek also to remain open to other people’s
expression of truth as they have experienced it.
76. Today in many parts of the world religion has become a divisive
force, with religious language and symbols being used to exacerbate
conflicts. Ignorance and intolerance make reconciliation difficult. We
seek to live in respect and understanding with people of other living
faiths, and to this end we need to build mutual trust and a “culture of
dialogue”. This begins at the local level as we relate to people of other
faiths, and take common action especially in promoting justice and peace.
The first step is to come to know and to trust each other, telling our stories
of faith and sharing mutual concerns. Both the telling and the hearing of
faith are crucial in discerning God’s will. Dialogue is an authentic form of
The Report of the Seventh Assembly 253
Christian witness and ministry. As Christians we affirm the Holy Spirit
counselling us to hold fast to the revealed Christ, to keep faith, and to
encounter the other’s faith.
77. Ideologies may be constructive or destructive; but both types tend
to demand absolute loyalty and to ignore the essential ingredient of
accountability, thus causing conflict. In recent years this has most
strongly affected churches in Marxist-influenced societies. Now we have
experienced the collapse of this system; but this is no reason for
triumphalism about the free-market system, as we are increasingly
confronted with its negative effects throughout the world. We all, as
Christians, need to analyze and understand the ideologies under which we
live. Some are “hidden” — not openly acknowledged and discussed —
yet deeply rooted and influential in society. Among these are wealth and
achievement-oriented value systems which ignore human and personal
factors. The task of the community of faith is to apply prophetic, biblical
values to all ideologies.
78. Ideological trends can be found in fundamentalism and national¬
ism. We must learn to distinguish between fundamentalism as an
approach to biblical hermeneutics and fundamentalism (whether Christian
or non-Christian) which is an intolerant ideological imperialism, closed to
other approaches and realities. Nationalism is positive when it unites
people in the struggle for cultural, religious and political self-determina¬
tion, but it is negative when used to dominate some and to exclude others.
It may be even more oppressive when it contains elements that equate
faith with a particular nationality.
Section IV: Holy Spirit — Transform and Sanctify Us!
“Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal
of your mind...” (Rom. 12:2)
79. It has been said that spirituality is organizing one’s life so as to
allow the Holy Spirit room to act. It has to do with setting priorities, with
the calendars and rhythms of life which affect how communities and
individuals express their spirituality. Different experiences of God’s
presence through the Holy Spirit in word, in the church and in daily life
also determine our understanding of spirituality. We have a spiritual
hunger to become what we were through creation and already are in
Christ. We long for the freedom which is given through the Holy Spirit.
80. Christian spirituality is rooted in baptism, whereby we are grafted
into the death and resurrection of Christ, become members of his body
and receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit to lead a life consecrated to the
254 Signs of the Spirit
service of God and God’s children. Christian spirituality celebrates God’s
gifts but, taking up the cross, agonises with Christ for the sake of all
God’s children: made in the image of God, we are growing into the
likeness of Christ (Gen. 1:27, 2 Cor. 3:18; cf. Eph. 4:24). An ecumenical
spirituality should be incamational, here and now, life-giving, rooted in
the scriptures and nourished by prayer; it should be communitarian and
celebrating, centred around the eucharist. Its source and guide is the
action of the Holy Spirit. It is lived and sought in community and for
others.
8 1 . The Holy Spirit cannot be understood apart from the life of the
Holy Trinity. Proceeding from the Father, the Holy Spirit points to Jesus
of Nazareth as the Christ, the Messiah, the Saviour of the world. The
Spirit is the power of God, energizing the people of God, corporately and
individually, to fulfill their ministry. The Holy Spirit is “holy” by virtue
of the very nature of the Holy Trinity. It is distinct from other “spirits” in
this world, whether benign or demonic (1 John 4:1-6). The Holy Spirit is
gloriously free, unbinding God’s people from the structures and strictures
of this world. The challenge to God’s people is to discover, accept, and
live in this freedom. To live in the Holy Spirit is to yield one’s life to
God, to take spiritual risks; in short, to live by faith.
82. Since Pentecost a visible Christian community of repentant and
redeemed believers has been constituted by the work of the Holy Spirit,
so that this community may become the fullness of the body of Christ in
history, a sign and sacrament of the kingdom of God among the nations.
We believe in the church, holy and becoming holy by the work of the
Spirit, a place where sanctification and transfiguration really can occur.
The church’s holiness is experienced as reconciliation, peace and justice,
which are to be realized within the life of the community. There are
various forms of Christian communities (house churches, prayer groups,
base Christian communities and so on) which complement parish life by
focusing on particular aspects of the kingdom such as a simpler life-style,
a concern for personal or cultural identity or political justice.
Responding to the Holy Spirit
83. We respond to the Holy Spirit in humility and penitence. The
Holy Spirit enables us to empty ourselves, to receive forgiveness, peace
and joy and the grace to live for the sake of others. The church, impelled
and empowered by the Holy Spirit, is called to proclaim the gospel. We
share in mission and evangelism, open and sensitive to the contribution of
other churches. Nominally Christian nations in the North need the help of
The Report of the Seventh Assembly 255
churches in the South as they seek to relate to large numbers of
immigrants and refugees of different faiths and cultures. New religions
and alternative forms of spirituality present a further challenge to many of
our churches and to the ecumenical movement.
84. Churches need to recover the notion of sacred time, allowing
God’s time, the kairos, to enter the chronos of the mundane world,
enabling and empowering new visions and fresh opportunities. The
Genesis affirmation of God’s resting on the seventh day (Gen. 2: 1-3) has
built the principle of rest into the very structure of the cosmos. The
observance of liturgical times, rites and rhythms supports many kinds of
Christian spirituality. The sabbath principle serves as a protection against
unlimited activity and unrelenting desire for profit. The sabbath year,
coming once in fifty years, was intended to break the spiral by which “the
rich become richer and the poor poorer” (cf. Lev. 8:8-17). It is relevant to
apply this in the debt-ridden parts of the international community. If debts
are not lifted and forgiven, there can be finally no balance, no justice.
85. In a world where misery and despair mark many lives, Christians,
by humble perseverance in their work and witness for justice, raise signs
of hope in Jesus Christ. The example of the “great cloud of witnesses”
kindles and encourages the Christian life of many. The Holy Spirit offers
us the precious and vulnerable gift of hope, reinforcing the discipleship of
those identifying with the cause of liberation. There is an authentic
spirituality maturing in the midst of struggle, nourished by the One who
gave himself up for the freedom of others.
86. Throughout history it is the Holy Spirit who has drawn the
churches out of isolation and division into unity. The Holy Spirit calls us
now to acknowledge the unity which exists among us, and to overcome
all confessional barriers in order to be able to share our energies, gifts and
ministries on a common spiritual journey towards visible unity. Charis¬
matic renewal movements, women’s groups and youth groups sometimes
challenge churches to greater openness and press towards the breaking of
denominational barriers.
87. As the churches — enabled to initiate dialogue with the help of
national, regional and international councils of churches — move towards
each other on their ecumenical pilgrimage, the Holy Spirit calls us to
repent of past stances and actions and to engage in a process of
forgiveness. We need to acknowledge the occasions when our churches
have failed to respect the “Lund principle” (1952) that they should act
together except where conscience compels them to act separately. For
without repentance and forgiveness no “new creation” as reconciled
256 Signs of the Spirit
communities can emerge among and between the churches. The Holy
Spirit has been evident in enabling churches to forgive, to reconcile their
histories and to come to communion in God in Christ. Two current
examples of churches participating in this process are the Eastern and
Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Reformed and Mennonite com¬
munities.
88. The Holy Spirit has been active in strengthening the relationships
between the Roman Catholic Church and national and regional councils
of churches. The Basel ecumenical assembly in 1989, organized by a
regional council of churches and the regional conference of Roman
Catholic Episcopal Conferences, might provide a useful model of cooper¬
ation.
89. We need integrity in word and action. Sanctification means a
continuous commitment to the life of visible community and a continuous
search to overcome the stumbling blocks to full and visible unity.
90. The Holy Spirit, the Giver of Life, continues to breathe life into
all creation. As all life emanates from God and ultimately will return to
God (Ps. 104), the ethos of holiness requires an attitude towards all that
exists as by nature belonging to God. We do not “own” ourselves, our
bodies, our lives, the air, the soil: all is given by God.
91. Though inseparably belonging to creation, we are in the world as
stewards and as priests of creation. We are endowed with the privilege of
offering creation back to its Creator. The church is now challenged to
define the relationship of humanity to the rest of creation. Anthropomon-
ism (the idea that human beings are God’s only real concern) denies the
integrity of the creation. However, sacralizing nature may lead towards
pantheism and a denial of the uniqueness of men and women as created in
the image of God (Gen. 1:27).
92. The Holy Spirit, giver of life, is at work among all peoples and
faiths and throughout the universe. With the sovereign freedom which
belongs to God the wind blows wherever it wants. Recognizing this, the
church rejoices in being nourished by the ministry of the Holy Spirit
through the word and sacraments.
93. Spirits must be discerned. Not every spirit is of the Holy Spirit.
The prime criterion for discerning the Holy Spirit is that the Holy Spirit is
the Spirit of Christ; it points to the cross and resurrection and witnesses to
the Lordship of Christ. The biblical list of “fruits” of the Spirit, including
love, joy and peace, is another criterion to be applied (Gal. 5:22). These
criteria should be remembered in our encounters with the often-profound
spirituality of other religions.
The Report of the Seventh Assembly 257
The people of God: transformed and transforming
94. The church is the entire people (laos) of God, empowered by the
Holy Spirit. As the laity of the church, whether women or men, young or
old, live in the world they are ambassadors of the Holy Spirit, transform¬
ing society by their witness and service. They need — but do not always
receive — all the support the church can give.
95. For many it is especially the family that provides an appropriate
space and ethos for spiritual development. We need to explore diverse
models of family spirituality and to find appropriate structures for prayer
life and spiritual formation.
96. The church is called to demonstrate God’s all-inclusive love. In
practice this is often difficult. In the fellowship of a local congregation in
a small community, including persons seems natural — until an “out¬
sider” tries to join in. In other situations the human factors of language,
race, sex, caste, or economic status may seem insurmountable barriers to
those seeking to join the Christian community. What we mean by
“inclusive” needs to be defined by those who are, or who feel, excluded.
We need to become “intensive” listeners, hearing and heeding the voice
of the Holy Spirit who so often speaks through the pain of the person “on
the other side of the road” (Luke 10:30-37). A truly inclusive community
values every human being equally, including the marginalized. The Spirit
challenges us to an active inclusivity, urging us to reach out in faith and
love to minorities and oppressed people.
97. Another manifestation of Christian spirituality is a peace-oriented
life-style, exploring the power of active non-violence, for the transforma¬
tion of society. In any exercise of power the church must always point
towards love as the better way. The challenge for us is to translate Spirit-
led peace-making and peace-living from personal to congregational and
community life.
98. A eucharistic spirituality which is actually lived out by a local
Christian community is, in itself, the most valuable diaconal service that
can be given. It is a missionary witness of immeasurable significance.
Christian spirituality expresses itself as we participate fully in the liturgi¬
cal life of the people of God, gathering around word and sacrament in
fellowship and prayer (Acts 2:42). Worship both stimulates and results
from our inner relationship with the Spirit. It is a life-giving means of
evangelism and local ecumenism.
99. The Holy Spirit frees people to committed stewardship in relation
to creation, church and community. In a world which values things more
than relationships, and wealth and health more than service in love, the
258 Signs of the Spirit
Holy Spirit calls us personally and corporately to live for God and for the
gospel. We give thanks to God for the spiritual renewal that has been
evident in the life of the worldwide church. This renewal needs to be
continued and strengthened by mutual sharing with those inside and
outside our churches and through the ecumenical movement.
* * *
100. “For in hope we are saved” (Rom 8:24). We who live in the
Spirit live by hope. In spite of all the dangers and difficulties of the world
we are moved not to despair but to joy in the promises of the Triune God.
Created by God, saved by Christ, we rejoice in the power of the Holy
Spirit, the Spirit of freedom and truth, the Spirit at work in history, the
Spirit which continually opens the future before us.
Come, Holy Spirit, have mercy on us; renew and empower us to be
your witnesses in the world!
Metropolitan David of the Georgian Orthodox Church speaking during the
special session on public issues.
7. Additional Documents
260 Signs of the Spirit
New WCC Central Committee officers
Prof. Anna Marie Bishop Vinton
Aagard, Denmark Anderson, USA
Bishop Leslie Boseto
Solomon Islands
Mrs Priyanka Mendis
Sri Lanka
His Beatitude
Parthenios, Egypt
Rev. Eunice Santana
Puerto Rico
His Holiness Dr Aaron Tolen
Pope Shenouda, Egypt Cameroon
.-v.Wr-
Additional Documents 26 1
7.1. ASSEMBLY PROGRAMME
AND AGENDA
Thursday, 7 February
9.30 Opening worship
11.30 Meeting of Nominations Committee
14.30 Plenary business session: opening actions; election of new
member churches ; reception of churches which have joined since
Vancouver
16.30 Plenary session: address by the prime minister of Australia;
report of the general secretary ; appointment of assembly commit¬
tees
18.30 Business Committee
21.30 Evening prayers
Friday, 8 February
7.45 Worship
8.45 Sub-sections
10.45 Regional meetings
12.30 Midday preaching service
12.30 Committee meetings (Credentials and Nominations)
14.30 Plenary session on assembly theme: H.B. Patriarch Parthenios of
Alexandria ; Prof. Dr Chung Hyun Kyung
16.30 Plenary session on assembly sub-themes: Dr Pauline Webb;
Metropolitan John of Pergamon ; Rev. Dr David McDonald : Rev.
Dr Philip Potter; Dr Mary Tanner
18.30 Business Committee
21.30 Evening prayers
Saturday, 9 February
7.45 Worship
8.45 Section meetings
12.30 Midday preaching service
12.30 Committee meetings
14.30 Plenary session : appointment of remaining assembly committees ;
first report of the Credentials Committee; first report of the
Nominations Committee ; announcement of public issues ; presen¬
tation: “The Spirit Speaks to the Churches”
262 Signs of the Spirit
16.30 Plenary session : welcome by Australian national organizing com¬
mittee ; presentation : “Covenanting for Life”
18.00 Procession for peace from convention centre to worship tent
20.00 JPIC celebration of service and commitment; all-night vigil of
prayer and fasting for peace with justice
Sunday, 10 February
9.30 Celebration of the Lima liturgy
12.00 Celebration of the Armenian Orthodox liturgy
19.30 “Gathering under the Southern Cross”
Monday, 11 February
7.45 Worship
8.45 Sub-sections
12.30 Midday preaching service
12.30 Committee meetings
14.30 Plenary session: welcome to guests of other faiths; report of the
moderator of the central committee
16.30 Plenary session: discussion of reports of the moderator and
general secretary ; preliminary finance report
18.30 Business Committee
Tuesday, 12 February
7.45 Worship
8.45 Sub-sections
12.30 Midday preaching service
12.30 Committee meetings
14.30 Plenary session: presentation of new revised standard version of
the Bible ; second report of the Nominations Committee ; presen¬
tation: “Without a Vision People Perish”; exchange of gifts with
the Aboriginal people of Australia
18.30 Business Committee
20.00 Pacific evening with worship
Wednesday, 13 February
7.45 Worship
8.45 Regional groups in sections
12.30 Midday preaching service
Additional Documents 263
12.30 Committee meetings
14.30 Plenary session: messages from the children and from the youth;
presentation: “Sharing our Life — Towards New Community”
16.30 Plenary session: greetings received by the assembly; presenta¬
tion : “Land Rights and Identity”
18.30 Business Committee
20.00 Aboriginal evening
21.30 Evening prayers
Thursday, 14 February
7.45 Worship
8.45 Sub-sections
12.30 Midday preaching service
12.30 Committee meetings
14.30 Section meetings
18.30 Business Committee
20.00 Regional meetings
21.30 Evening prayers
Friday, 15 February
7.45 Worship
8.45 Sub-sections
12.30 Midday preaching service
12.30 Committee meetings
14.30 Plenary business session: presentation of gifts to participants;
second report of the Credentials Committee; third report of the
Nominations Committee
16.30 Plenary session: messages received by the assembly; presenta¬
tion: “Churches in Solidarity with Women”
18.30 Business Committee
20.00 Concert sponsored by WomenSpace
21.30 Evening prayers
Saturday, 16 February
7.15 Eastern Orthodox liturgy
8.45 Section meetings
12.30 Midday preaching service
12.30 Committee meetings
14.30 Plenary discussion on theme presentation
18.30 Business Committee
20.00 Sing-a-long
264 Signs of the Spirit
Sunday, 17 February
Visits to local congregations
17.00 Black churches celebration
18.30 Business Committee
Monday, 18 February
1 AS Worship
9.45 Plenary business session: application for membership; report of
finance committee
11.45 Plenary business session: report of Section I
14.30 Plenary business session: greetings to and message from the
stewards ; third report of the Credentials Committee ; fourth report
of Nominations Committee ; election of central committee
16.30 Plenary business session: nominations report; election of pres¬
idents
18.30 Business Committee
20.00 Meeting of newly elected central committee
21.30 Evening prayers
Tuesday, 19 February
7.45 Worship
9.45 Plenary business session: report of Section II
11.45 Plenary business session: report of Reference Committee
14.30 Plenary business session: report of Reference Committee (con¬
tinued)
16.30 Plenary business session : report of Section III (continued) ; report
of Section IV ; report of Programme Policy Committee
18.30 Business Committee
21.30 Evening prayers
Wednesday, 20 February
7.45 Worship
9.45 Plenary business session : report of Programme Policy Committee
(continued); deliberative session on public issues
11.45 Plenary deliberative session: public issues (continued)
14.30 Plenary business session: public issues
16.30 Plenary business session: election of presidents (continued);
Report Committee report; youth resolution; communicating the
assembly ; closing actions ; adjournment
20.00 Closing worship
Additional Documents 265
7.2. MESSAGES FROM CHURCH LEADERS
DIMITRIOS I, ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH
To the Rev. Dr Emilio Castro, general secretary of the World Council
of Churches, grace and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus
Christ.
For our holy Orthodox Church, the theme of the seventh assembly of
the World Council of Churches, convened by the grace of God in
Canberra — the capital of the blessed Australian commonwealth — in
itself constitutes a major reason for joy and for profound praise of the
name of our Lord. For it is well known throughout the Christian world,
both in the East and the West, that in the Christian faith the subject of the
Holy Spirit was nurtured particularly by the Eastern Tradition which, with
admirable consequence, based its entire worship , theology and popular
piety upon this firm foundation of Christian truth, which — if it be
permitted to adopt an image — constitutes the umbilical cord between the
uncreated Trinitarian God and his creation.
One may recall how persistently and vigorously the Orthodox,
immediately after the foundation of the World Council of Churches,
brought forward the vital theological demand for enlarging the constitu¬
tional basis of the World Council of Churches from a mainly Christologi-
cal to a more expressly Trinitarian one. This was achieved, by the grace
of God, in 1961 at the New Delhi assembly. Therefore, one can easily
understand why worldwide Orthodoxy, as well as all Christians respect¬
ing the quintessence of the gospel, regardless of their denominational
background, rejoice over the selection of the theme for the seventh
assembly.
The Holy Spirit, in its relationship with the whole of creation, its
wholeness, its role in sanctification and salvation, undoubtedly con¬
stitutes the most inclusive synopsis of the entire Christian message to the
world. What we call “theological Trinity” in the divine revelation would
remain an unproductive and inactive word, that is, a word unable to offer
consolation, without what we name “economic Trinity”, as the God¬
bearing church fathers correctly discerned. For this they struggled with all
their strength to develop and formulate in doctrine, in the most godly
manner, all the consequences of the saving “kenosis” of divinity in the
various stages of divine economy.
266 Signs of the Spirit
However, our Orthodox Church has yet another, equally important
reason to rejoice over the theme of the seventh assembly, namely the
invocational formulation of the theme, which renders clear, from the
outset, that Christians cannot study the relationship of the Holy Spirit to
the entire creation in some philosophically detached manner, that is in a
non-participatory and merely theoretical way, but only in the contrition
and compunction of prayer, invoking the heavenly illumination, can we
see and accordingly confess the wonders of God around us and in all
creation. Thus, we remember anew and obey the golden rule in order to
attain true theology. As Evagrios Ponticos from most ancient Christian
times stated: “If you are a theologian you will pray truly, and if you pray
truly, you are a theologian.”
Rightly, therefore, and in a God-pleasing manner, the World Council
of Churches has for some years focused its theological study on the most
crucial theme of pneumatology. Following the Melbourne world confer¬
ence on mission and evangelism, in May 1980, which with its theme
“Your Kingdom Come” linked the notion of invocation and salvation, it
was absolutely within the logic of matters to bring this entire development
into a festive declaration of ultimate hope in the Holy Spirit for all
Christians from the platform of the assembly.
Such a declaration from the supreme and most official platform of the
World Council of Churches certainly will remind the member churches
that the only Comforter between the “Ascension” and the “Parousia”
always remains the Holy Spirit, and help them respond creatively to
today’s worldwide ecological movement of many ideological variations
by pointing out that, if its requests are exhausted on the horizontal level,
neglecting the vertical, it will in no way benefit the animate and
inanimate creation, which groans in deep pain nowadays. For truly “there
is salvation in no one else” except “in the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts
4:12 and 10) and “no one can say Jesus is Lord except in the Holy Spirit”
(1 Cor. 12:3).
Therefore from Canberra, the cry of the World Council of Churches
may be summarized in the sacred principle of life or death expressed in
the simple statement: without invocation there is no supplication.
Wishing, together with my most reverend and beloved brothers who
constitute the Holy Synod, that the deliberations in Canberra will be
blessed by both the inspiration and the validation of the Comforter, we
entrust to the head of our delegation, the Most Reverend Metropolitan
Bartholomew of Chalcedon, to read this message and to address to all the
participants of the seventh assembly our heartfelt blessing as well as the
Additional Documents 267
fraternal greetings of our holy apostolic and patriarchal ecumenical
throne.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
Constantinople, 13 February 1991
ALEXY II, PATRIARCH OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSIA
Dear brothers and sisters, delegates and all other envoys of the world
ecumenical community, gathered for the seventh assembly of the World
Council of Churches in Canberra: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and
the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all”
(2 Cor. 13:14).
I greet you on behalf of the Russian Orthodox Church which is now
being revived for a new life having entered the second millennium of its
ministry.
Renewal in the life of our church and our society goes on under
complex and difficult circumstances.
There takes place a painful but extremely necessary transformation of
the recent historical context of our church and social life and a discovery
of reassuring prospects for bringing about a new historical context in the
life of our church and our community as well as in the European life.
This process of the old dying and of the new being bom opens up
great opportunities for the Christian witness of the church, but at the same
time it is God’s challenge and his call for us to repent and make radical
renewal of life. “Put off your old nature” (Eph. 4:22) so that “we might
walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4).
We ask for your holy prayers of love and Christian solidarity with us
in this challenge of our revival and renewal.
On our part, we and our church as a whole will incessantly pray for
you who have gathered in Canberra, as we know that after Canberra the
World Council of Churches and the ecumenical movement as a whole will
enter a new phase of their development which might well be of crucial
importance for their future.
We welcome the fact that the assembly’s attention and programme are
focused on the main theme “Come, Holy Spirit — Renew the Whole
Creation”; we are convinced that this renewal in the Spirit demands that
all humanity and especially we, Christians, should “come to ourselves”,
268 Signs of the Spirit
“go to our Heavenly Father” and repent for our great historical sin of
going away from him to a “distant” country (cf. Luke 15:17-19) and for
our irresponsible treatment of the richness of his creation entrusted to us.
Renewal in the Spirit demands not only ecology in “nature”, in the
environment and space, but first of all, ecology of the spirit, ecology in
the social milieu of human relations.
While invoking the Holy Spirit to renew his whole creation, we
ourselves, “who have the first-fruits of the Spirit” (Rom. 8 :23), must feel
our responsibility and duty, “for we are fellow workers with God”
(1 Cor. 3:9).
In this fellow work with God, the Holy Spirit “helps us in our
weakness... and the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep
for words” (Rom. 8:26).
“He who searches the hearts of men knows what is the mind of the
Spirit” (Rom. 8 :27). The Spirit says to the church: “Remember then from
what you have fallen, and repent” (Rev. 2:5).
Dear brothers and sisters, while reviewing the past of the ecumenical
movement in Canberra and reflecting on a new period in the life and work
of the World Council of Churches, we should always bear in mind “what
the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 3:13) and unceasingly search our
conscience and ask whether the Holy Spirit says to the churches what he
said to the church of Laodicea in the Revelation of St John the Theolo¬
gian.
The message of Canberra will be a new Christian witness in the
divided world only when we, Christians, and our churches hear the call of
the Holy Spirit to us.
Let us base all new directions and structures of the World Council of
Churches on this call to renewal in the Holy Spirit, always mindful of
what the Apostle said: “No other foundation can anyone lay than that
which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11).
We pray that the World Council of Churches may remain faithful to
its original and major vocation, to be the council of churches searching
together for the fulfilment of their common calling to attain unity in faith
and eucharistic communion, and to remain, in the spirit of the Toronto
declaration, the council of churches which the Russian Orthodox Church
joined at its third assembly in New Delhi thirty years ago.
With love in the Lord and beseeching the Spirit of Truth, the
Comforter, to set us on the path of truth in the unity of spirit and in the
union of peace and love.
Moscow, 1 February 1991
Additional Documents 269
POPE JOHN PAUL II
On the occasion of the seventh assembly of the World Council of
Churches I send warm greetings to you and all the participants, and assure
you of my closeness in prayer as you gather to consider the theme:
“Come, Holy Spirit — Renew the Whole Creation”.
The fact that the World Council of Churches has chosen for its
assembly a theme dedicated to the Holy Spirit is both significant and
opportune. It calls to mind the abiding presence of the Spirit who has been
with the church throughout her history and who is among us now in
fulfilment of the words of our Lord Jesus Christ who said: “The Holy
Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name. . . will teach you all things,
and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26).
The ecumenical movement, of which your assembly is an important
forum, has been “fostered by the grace of the Holy Spirit” ( Unitatis
Redintegratio 1). It is in fact the Spirit who sustains our prayer, our
openness to conversion in mind and heart, and our faithfulness to the
word of life transmitted in the gospel and in the church. We can truly state
that progress towards the restoration of unity among Christians depends
above all on the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
In the seven years since your last assembly the Spirit has brought us
further along the road towards unity. My visit to the World Council of
Churches in 1984 and your subsequent visit to Rome underlined the
significant efforts towards unity in which we are engaged. At Assisi in
1986, when the representatives of many Christian communities and of
other religious traditions generously responded to my call for a Day of
Prayer for Peace, we had a moving experience of the direction in which
the Spirit is leading us.
Theological dialogue too has made important contributions to the
search for unity and is helping to clarify issues which need to be further
studied. In this connection, I am mindful of the value of the consultation
undertaken with regard to the document Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry.
Such positive aspects of our search for visible unity in faith are surely
a sign of the Holy Spirit drawing us closer to the unity which Christ
wishes for his disciples. The difficulties which we experience in our
ecumenical efforts should not discourage us but rather impel us to commit
ourselves anew to the task in hand. May your assembly be an occasion for
a renewed awareness of the Spirit’s gifts in this regard.
The present tragic situation of our troubled world confirms once again
humanity’s need for reconciliation, its need for an ever more authentic
270 Signs of the Spirit
witness to the biblical message of peace, justice and the integrity of
creation. But the sad fact is that our testimony to these values is less
convincing to the degree that the world continues to be confronted by our
divisions. Herein lies the urgency of the ecumenical task.
It is my prayer that the Lord will bless your assembly and that the
Holy Spirit will guide our common efforts towards unity of faith. May the
same Spirit enlighten all those gathering in Canberra to reflect together on
the great issues of our times in the light of the Word of God. “The grace
of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the
Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Cor. 13:14).
Vatican, 30 January 1991
7.3. MESSAGE FROM THE PRE- ASSEMBLY
WOMEN’S MEETING
At Such a Time as This...
At such a time as this, a time of wars, of distress, of grief and of fear,
we gathered together for the pre-assembly women’s meeting of the
seventh assembly of the World Council of Churches. Over 300 women,
and a few invited men, from member churches throughout the world, met
in Canberra, Australia, 3-6 February 1991. In the leadership and input
made by women to this meeting, we affirmed and celebrated the many
gifts women have to offer to the church.
We discussed, from our perspectives as women, the theme “Come,
Holy Spirit — Renew the Whole Creation”. We knew that this Spirit was
among us as the enabling energy of God, identified as Ruach, the
feminine Hebrew word for Spirit. Ruach hovered over the waters before
God created the world. We knew that we were close to and carried by the
Spirit, an energy which permeates God’s whole creation. Through our
worship, discussions and Bible study, we were challenged to greater
responsibility as partners in caring for God’s creation. We drew inspira¬
tion from the courage of Esther and Vashti, Eve and Mary and the
community of women and men in the early church.
At such a time as this we are painfully aware that God’s creation is
being violated by a war that ravages the Gulf region. Women, youth and
Additional Documents 271
children who are the primary victims of any war are at the centre of our
concern. This brings to our consciousness the wars and the war-like
situations in other parts of the world. We call for an immediate ceasefire
and peaceful solutions to conflict in the Gulf region, as well as in other
situations of conflict. We urge our churches to make clear to our
governments that we will actively resist the militarization and trade in
armaments that make war inevitable.
We know that this war of unprecedented proportions is placing even
greater burdens on a crisis-ridden global economic order. As a conse¬
quence, marginalized and poor women, youth and children including
those from wealthy nations but particularly in Africa, Asia, Latin
America and the Pacific, are the hardest hit. In addition to this, women
and children experience the violence generated by a militaristic culture
even in the privacy of their homes.
We affirm our commitment to make every effort to use non-violent
means to resolve conflicts on all levels.
At such a time as this, our Aboriginal sisters shared their experiences
of suffering in a context where their land has been wrested from them and
their culture undermined. We were moved to solidarity with indigenous
peoples all over the world who engage in struggles to reclaim their lost
heritage and to reaffirm their spirituality and identity. We were reminded
of women in many parts of the world oppressed by the continuing sins of
racism and caste-ism.
We shared with each other stories of struggle — the Holy Spirit
moving among women around the world, empowering them to challenge
forces of death and destruction. Women’s demands for peace with justice
manifest themselves in new forms of resistance in people’s movements
everywhere. We stand in solidarity with all women, including women of
other faiths, in seeking the renewal of human community and the renewal
of all creation. These expressions of hope inspired us in our discussions.
Three years after the initiation of the Ecumenical Decade of the Chur¬
ches in Solidarity with Women by the World Council of Churches in 1988,
we recognize that it has been launched by many churches around the world.
Women have embraced the Decade with great enthusiasm — as an oppor¬
tunity to share their gifts to build a prophetic community of women and
men. However, when we heard the testimonies of our sisters in the pre¬
assembly meeting we recognized that the total church has not adequately
claimed the Decade as its own or responded to the challenges the Decade
poses to be in solidarity with women. We urge the churches to act reso¬
lutely so as to bring about change in the remaining years of the Decade.
272 Signs of the Spirit
At such a time as this, drawing from our spiritual experience we
express our deep hope in the renewing energy of the Holy Spirit and
commit ourselves to continue our struggle for a community which will
work for justice, peace and the integrity of creation.
7.4. MESSAGE FROM THE PRE- ASSEMBLY
YOUTH EVENT
“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and
daughters will prophesy, your old people will dream dreams, your young
people will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I
will pour out my Spirit in those days” (Joel 2:28-29, Acts 2:17-18).
Introduction
We the youth of the seventh assembly of the World Council of
Churches — more than 300 stewards, delegates, observers and advisers
— have gathered to wrestle with the theme “Come, Holy Spirit — Renew
the Whole Creation” in a pre-assembly youth event here in Canberra,
2-5 February 1991. We have struggled with and celebrated our diversity
of nations, cultures, languages, theologies and denominational back¬
grounds. We have worshipped together, listened to each others’ stories
and formed links of global solidarity to sustain us in the future.
Aboriginal and indigenous peoples
From the opening of our gathering, we have acknowledged that we
are on Aboriginal land. We have committed ourselves to struggle in
solidarity with all indigenous peoples and to respect and learn from their
deep spiritual and cultural traditions ; we call on the whole assembly to do
likewise.
Vision and struggle
We believe that our lives are a continuous experience of Pentecost:
the Holy Spirit gives us vision and the gift of prophecy. It is this same
Spirit which empowers and challenges us to confront the evil of sin both
personal and corporate. As we realize the image of God within us and the
indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we are empowered to be co-workers with
God in renewing the whole creation.
Additional Documents 273
As young people we are alarmed at the extent of environmental
degradation of the world which we are inheriting — the destruction of
rain forests, the dumping of toxic wastes, nuclear- weapons testing, global
warming, and the thinning of the ozone layer — to name but a few areas.
We acknowledge that the cause of these problems is our own greed,
especially in the first world where wasteful consumption is accepted as
normal because we see ourselves as the owners rather than as the stewards
of creation. We ask the Giver of Life to empower us in our commitment
to renouncing greed and to seeking alternate life-styles, both personal and
corporate. Let us start with this assembly, by eliminating the use of
disposable cups and by recycling the vast quantities of paper we use.
As young people we know that the freedom given to us by God is
often denied to us by human structures of sin. As young people we feel
the greatest burden of human rights abuses, of economic and social
injustice, of apartheid, of civil and international war, and other forms of
corporate evil. These structures force millions of us to become refugees or
displaced peoples, inside or outside our own countries. In Asia, Latin
America, Africa and Eastern Europe we lead the struggle against
authoritarian and repressive governments, and suffer accordingly. From
many countries we are called to fight in the Middle East, in a war not of
our own making; all of us suffer and will continue to suffer from the
economic strife it causes. But regardless of where we come from and
what form our oppression takes, we know that the Spirit of Truth is with
us in our struggle for justice, peace and freedom. Our hope and prayer is
that the churches will intensify their efforts to translate this movement of
the Spirit into concrete solidarity and support.
As young people, and especially young women, we are often
deprived of freedom by our churches which render us voiceless,
powerless and marginalized in the name of “experience” and “knowl¬
edge”. We believe, however, that experience and knowledge are not
wisdom, and that the Spirit of Truth is not limited to any age, gender, or
other category of person. We deplore the fact that our representation at
this assembly (10 percent of delegates) is even lower than in Vancouver
(13 percent) and only half the level that the member churches have
committed themselves to reaching. We acknowledge the effort of this
assembly to remedy this imbalance in the selection of the various
committees, but we urge the member churches to take their own
commitment more seriously at all levels of selection.
As young people we have felt the Spirit calling us to reconciliation
and unity as God’s people. We recognize that reconciliation is a costly
274 Signs of the Spirit
process, that there is no easy way of overcoming the differences which
have divided us for so long. Indeed, we recognize that we can and
must learn from our diversity of perspectives, and have done so in
concrete ways during our pre-assembly gathering. One thing we know:
there can be no reconciliation without justice, and justice requires both
repentance and renewal. We therefore call on the member churches to
seriously repent of their own participation in building barriers that
divide — young from old, rich from poor, men from women, powerful
from powerless, one race from another, one tradition within our own
Christian faith from another. We further call for the churches to renew
and intensify their commitment to overcoming these barriers through
concrete programmes of action. We believe that without repentance
and renewal, we cannot pray “Spirit of Unity — Reconcile your
People !”
Conclusion
And yet we know that the Holy Spirit is within each of us as
individuals and all of us as a community, urging and enabling us to
transform and sanctify ourselves. Then we may indeed dream dreams
and see visions with which to guide our lives in this world. With this
hope we now join with the entire seventh assembly of the World
Council of Churches in praying, “Come, Holy Spirit — Renew the
Whole Creation”.
7.5. STATEMENT FROM
DIFFERENTLY-ABLED PERSONS
As persons who are differently abled, we have great concern that the
World Council of Churches (WCC) continue concrete, viable efforts to
include our gifts and graces in working towards the healing of our world
community.
We draw your attention to the Vancouver assembly’s efforts to
include 10 percent of persons who are differently abled in the life of the
WCC, through its programme policy bodies and committees. This has not
happened here at the Canberra assembly. We currently have only two
Additional Documents 275
delegates and there is no representation of persons with disabilities on any
of the assembly committees at this time.
We have come and want to share our gifts and graces. We also want to
be a vital part of the assembly’s ongoing work, to share its leadership and
to feel the wholeness of the body of Christ. We call your attention to the
fact that there are over 500 million people in the world who are disabled,
needing to become differently-abled. God, embodied in Jesus, uses the
differently-abled to demonstrate effectively the power of the Holy Spirit
to renew creation. Therefore, we call all people of God to be reminded of
this and to assist us in abolishing the attitudes of exclusiveness and
indifference.
We understand that there are other mechanisms for augmenting
membership on the central committee and working groups so that disabil¬
ity issues can be represented. With this in mind, we call on you to fully
endorse and to ensure our full participation in the life of the WCC and the
church worldwide. We ask you, therefore, to invite an adviser to be
present and to participate at the core group meeting in July 1991 and at the
central committee in September.
Again, our issues belong to everyone. Statistics provided by the
World Health Organization a decade ago indicate that the 500 million
people in the world who have some disability or other are among the
most oppressed, marginalized and poverty-stricken in our societies.
Causes include — but are not limited to — poverty, famine, inade¬
quate health care, malnutrition, disease, natural and human-made
accidents, war, effects of nuclear radiation, torture, violence, etc.
Ninety-eight percent of persons with disabilities live in the developing
countries and only two percent of these people receive any support at
all. Since the causes are directly related to the issues of justice, peace
and the integrity of creation, this concern clearly touches in some way
the work of every sub-unit and programme of the WCC, and in this
assembly the work of every section, sub-section and plenary presenta¬
tion.
Persons who are differently abled look to you and the assembly for
assistance in helping us to be a part of the whole, by including persons
with disabilities in the decision-making processes, in the life of WCC
events, and as resource people in the various areas in which we have gifts
to share apart from disability-related concerns.
We call upon the WCC to include persons who are differently abled in
their official criteria for selection of participants, along with youth,
women, Orthodox and regional balances.
276 Signs of the Spirit
7.6. STATEMENT REGARDING WCC ACTION
ON ABORIGINAL CONCERNS
We, the Indigenous owners and occupiers of Australia, call on the
WCC assembly to recognize our rights :
1. Aboriginal sovereignty over Australia.
2. To self-determination and self-management, including the freedom to
pursue our own economic, political, social, religious and cultural
development.
3. To permanent control and enjoyment of our ancestral lands.
4. To protection of, and control of, access to our sacred sites, sacred
objects, artefacts, designs, knowledge and works of art.
5. To the return of the remains of our ancestors, that are all over
Australia and other countries of the world, for burial in accordance
with our traditions.
6. To respect for and promotion of our Aboriginal identity, including the
traditional law, cultural, linguistic, religious and historical aspects,
and including the right to be educated in our own languages and in our
own culture and history.
7. In accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the Interna¬
tional Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimi¬
nation, to rights of life, liberty, security of person, food, clothing,
housing, medical care, education and employment opportunities,
necessary social services and other basic rights.
8. To a justice system which recognizes our customary laws and frees us
from discrimination, cultural genocide and activity which may
threaten our identity or security or interfere with our freedom of
expression or association, or otherwise prevent our full enjoyment and
exercise of universally recognized human rights and fundamental
freedoms.
In order to support our claims as listed above, we strongly request the
WCC assembly to take the following steps:
1 . In the imminent restructuring of the WCC that an Indigenous desk be
established immediately :
Additional Documents 277
a) managed and staffed by Indigenous peoples ;
b) ensuring adequate representations of the Indigenous people of
Australia on any working parties and any following committees of
this desk.
2. To lobby the United Nations for the sovereign rights of Indigenous
peoples ensuring that international laws encompass Indigenous values
and cultural, economic, religious and legal concepts practised and
recognized by Indigenous peoples.
3. To establish an Indigenous peoples’ centre in Geneva to provide
housing accommodation and information resources to Indigenous
people meeting on Indigenous peoples and land-rights issues.
4. While welcoming the government’s initiative for a council of Aborigi¬
nal reconciliation, we insist that there can be no reconciliation unless
we first have justice and recognition. We cannot negotiate reconcilia¬
tion unless Aboriginals are guaranteed equal bargaining powers and
status. This process needs to be community-based and not govern¬
ment-based, observed by international bodies i.e. the United Nations,
the World Council of Churches.
5. To urge the Australian churches to:
a) take action against those pushing church religion in Aboriginal
communities to the detriment of the Indigenous culture ;
b) help to develop Aboriginal spirituality, and the regeneration of
Indigenous education, i.e. language, history and culture, through
adequate resources;
c) return land they have taken from Indigenous people ;
d) observe the “pay-the-rent” concept for mission lands they ac¬
quired ;
e) observe the “Zacchean principle”: that is giving a percentage of
their income to the Indigenous people ;
f) believe that each denomination within Australia must have an
Indigenous body which will be given decision-making powers,
finances and resources to carry out the decisions made ;
g) request the Australian Council of Churches to convene a meeting
of Indigenous Christians of Australia to encourage the formation
and development of an Indigenous church.
6. To ensure that only Indigenous peoples represent and speak on
Indigenous concerns and issues, nationally and internationally.
278 Signs of the Spirit
7. To ensure that a representation of Indigenous peoples from all the
churches are delegates to the WCC assembly and also that Indigenous
members are appointed to the central committee especially, as well as
other WCC committees.
8. [For the WCC Assembly] To strongly urge the Australian govern¬
ment:
a) to recognize “Aboriginal sovereignty over Australia”, maintain its
commitment to negotiate an appropriate resolution, i.e. treaty or
instrument of reconciliation, with Aboriginal people, and ensure
that adequate resources, both finances and international expertise,
be made available to the Aboriginal people in order that they be
able to make a free and informed decision ;
b) to introduce national legislation to ensure that Aboriginals have
sole control, ownership of, and responsibility for all decisions
relating to Aboriginal heritage, artefacts, sacred sites and knowl¬
edge ; and that Aboriginal skeletal remains be returned to Aborigi¬
nal burial grounds. This legislation should facilitate the estab¬
lishment of sacred sites/heritage commissions in each state/terri¬
tory, administered and controlled by Aboriginal people. These
commissions should be empowered to declare “sacred sites” of
significance to Aboriginal people, as well as to address all matters
associated with Aboriginal heritage, knowledge and artefacts;
c) to honour the mandate given to it by the 1967 referendum to
exercise powers on Aboriginal affairs (the power of the states
should not militate against the Aboriginal people to their detri¬
ment) ;
d) to take action to stop the trade in X-rated pornographic videos
which promote domestic violence and abuse in many com¬
munities ;
e) to respond to Aboriginal people’s needs to combat alcohol and
substance abuse and related problems;
f) ^at the WCC condemn the obvious irreverence that the federal
government of Australia has shown and continues to show for the
loss of Aboriginal lives in custody, and call upon the government
to immediately utilize its legislative powers granted in the 1967
referendum to intervene with the state governments to stop deaths
in custody. The WCC should also urge the commonwealth gov¬
ernment to pressure the state governments into implementing
recommendations of the Royal Commission into Deaths in Cus¬
tody.
Additional Documents 279
7.7. REFLECTIONS OF ORTHODOX PARTICIPANTS
I. Introduction
The Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox delegates and partici¬
pants at the seventh assembly of the World Council of Churches, meeting
in Canberra, Australia, want to communicate with all in attendance
through this statement in order to express to them some concerns. We
preface our comments with an expression of appreciation to the World
Council of Churches for its many contributions to the development of
dialogue among churches, and to assisting all members in making efforts
to overcome disunity. As Orthodox, we appreciate the assistance given
over decades in the process of dialogue leading towards the full commun¬
ion of Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches.
We also recognize the contributions of the WCC in the work it has
done in its Commissions on Faith and Order and on Mission and
Evangelism (CWME), its contribution to the Renewal of Congregational
Life (RCL), its relief work through the Inter-Church Aid, Refugees and
World Service (CICARWS), and in the Justice, Peace and the Integrity of
Creation programme (JPIC).
Yet, our experience at this assembly has heightened a number of
concerns that have been developing among the Orthodox since the last
assembly. We want to share these with the Canberra assembly and to tell
you where these are now leading us.
The Orthodox concern about these issues should not be understood as
implying a reluctance to continue dialogue. The present statement is
motivated not by disinterest or indifference towards our sisters and
brothers in other churches and Christian communities, but by our sincere
concern about the future of the ecumenical movement, and of its goals
and ideals, as they were formulated by its founders.
II. Orthodox concerns
1. The Orthodox churches want to emphasize that for them, the main
aim of the WCC must be the restoration of the unity of the church. This
aim does not exclude relating church unity with the wider unity of
humanity and creation. On the contrary, the unity of Christians will
contribute more effectively to the unity of humanity and the world. Yet
the latter must not happen at the expense of solving issues of faith and
order, which divide Christians. Visible unity , in both the faith and the
280 Signs of the Spirit
structure of the church, constitutes a specific goal and must not be taken
for granted.
2. The Orthodox note that there has been an increasing departure
from the Basis of the WCC. The latter has provided the framework for
Orthodox participation in the World Council of Churches. Its text is:
“The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches which
confess the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Saviour according to the
scriptures and therefore seek to fulfill together their common calling to
the glory of the one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit” (Constitution).
Should the WCC not direct its future work along these lines, it would be
in danger of ceasing to be an instrument aiming at the restoration of
Christian unity and in that case it would tend to become a forum for an
exchange of opinions without any specific Christian theological basis. In
such a forum, common prayer will be increasingly difficult, and eventu¬
ally will become impossible, since even a basic common theological
vision will be lacking.
3. The tendency to marginalize the Basis in WCC work has created
some dangerous trends in the WCC. We miss from many WCC docu¬
ments the affirmation that Jesus Christ is the world’s Saviour. We
perceive a growing departure from biblically -based Christian under¬
standings of : (a) the Trinitarian God ; (b) salvation ; (c) the “good news”
of the gospel itself ; (d) human beings as created in the image and likeness
of God; and (e) the church, among others.
Our hope is that the results of Faith and Order work will find a more
prominent place in the various expressions of the WCC, and that
tendencies in the opposite direction will not be encouraged. The
Orthodox, consequently, attribute special significance to the work of the
Faith and Order Commission of the WCC, and view with concern each
tendency to undermine its place in the structure of the Council.
4. The Orthodox follow with interest, but also with a certain disquiet,
the developments of the WCC towards the broadening of its aims in the
direction of relations with other religions. The Orthodox support dialogue
initiatives, particularly those aiming at the promotion of relations of
openness, mutual respect and human cooperation with neighbours of
other faiths. When dialogue takes place, Christians are called to bear
witness to the integrity of their faith. A genuine dialogue involves greater
theological efforts to express the Christian message in ways that speak to
the various cultures of our world. All this, however, must occur on the
basis of theological criteria which will define the limits of diversity. The
biblical faith in God must not be changed. The definition of these criteria
Additional Documents 281
is a matter of theological study, and must constitute the first priority of the
WCC in view of its desired broadening of aims.
5. Thus, it is with alarm that the Orthodox have heard some presenta¬
tions on the theme of this assembly. With reference to the theme of the
assembly, the Orthodox still await the final texts. However, they observe
that some people tend to affirm with very great ease the presence of the
Holy Spirit in many movements and developments without discernment.
The Orthodox wish to stress the factor of sin and error which exists in
every human action, and separate the Holy Spirit from these. We must
guard against a tendency to substitute a “ private ” spirit, the spirit of the
world or other spirits for the Holy Spirit who proceeds from the Father
and rests in the Son. Our tradition is rich in respect for local and national
cultures, but we find it impossible to invoke the spirits of “earth, air,
water and sea creatures”. Pneumatology is inseparable from Christology
or from the doctrine of the Holy Trinity confessed by the church on the
basis of divine revelation.
6. The Orthodox are sorry that their position with regard to eucharistic
communion has not been understood by many members of the WCC, who
regard the Orthodox as unjustifiably insisting upon abstinence from
eucharistic communion. The Orthodox once more invite their brothers
and sisters in the WCC to understand that it is a matter of unity in faith
and fundamental Orthodox ecclesiology, and not a question of a trium-
phalistic stance.
For the Orthodox, the eucharist is the supreme expression of unity and
not a means towards unity. The present situation in the ecumenical
movement is for us an experience of the cross of Christian division. In
this regard, the question of the ordination of women to the priestly and
episcopal offices must also be understood within a theological and
ecclesiological context.
7. Finally, our concern is also directed to the changing process of
decision-making in the WCC. While the system of quotas has benefits, it
may also be creating problems. As Orthodox we see changes that seem to
increasingly weaken the possibility of an Orthodox witness in an other¬
wise Protestant international organization. We believe that this tendency
is to the harm of the ecumenical effort.
8. For the Orthodox gathered at this assembly, these and other
tendencies and developments question the very nature and identity of the
Council, as described in the Toronto statement. In this sense the present
assembly in Canberra appears to be a crucial point in the history of the
ecumenical movement.
282 Signs of the Spirit
We must, therefore ask ourselves: Has the time come for the
Orthodox churches and other member churches to review their relations
with the World Council of Churches ?
We pray the Holy Spirit to help all Christians to renew their commit¬
ment to visible unity.
7.8. EVANGELICAL PERSPECTIVES
FROM CANBERRA
A Letter to Churches and Christians Worldwide
from Participants Who Share Evangelical Perspectives
We wish to share with you the challenges we have received, the
lessons we have learned and our observations on the assembly.
Background
The sixth assembly of the WCC at Vancouver in 1983 made increased
dialogue, with participation by evangelicals in WCC activity, a priority.
The WCC expressed this commitment by seeking greater involvement
from evangelicals within the member churches of the WCC, promoting
interchange with evangelical consultations such as Lausanne II at Manila,
and increased input in WCC consultations and working groups from those
in charismatic, evangelical and pentecostal movements both within and
beyond the WCC.
Our experience
Evangelical participants at Canberra accepted the invitation of the
WCC to participate in its deliberations on the theme: “Come, Holy Spirit
— Renew the Whole Creation”. We felt welcomed in the dialogue and
were able to contribute in concrete ways and at all levels. We were
listened to, for example, as the assembly worked on a biblically informed
theology of creation, relevant to the eco-crisis we face. As the assembly
discussed the process of listening to the Spirit at work in every culture, we
cautioned, with others, that discernment is required to identify the Spirit
as the Spirit of Jesus Christ and thus to develop criteria for and limits to
theological diversity. We argued for a high Christology to serve as the
only authentic Christian base for dialogue with persons of other living
Additional Documents 283
faiths. Some drafts of assembly documents appear to show reluctance to
use straightforward biblical language, but the opportunities for evangeli¬
cal perspectives to find inclusion in the reports of the assembly rep¬
resented real progress in the dialogue begun in Vancouver.
Despite such a sincere commitment to take more seriously that major
segment of the worldwide church which those with evangelical perspec¬
tives represent, evangelicals remain under-represented at Canberra, at the
level of plenary presentation and in leadership of sections. For this
reason, we have asked the leadership of the WCC to address structural
deficiencies in the Council by welcoming an evangelical presence on
every commission, just as women’s and Orthodox perspectives have been
solicited, and to establish a monitoring group composed both of WCC
staff and evangelical advisers from member and non-member churches.
We who hold evangelical perspectives, however, must share the
responsibility for the present theological imbalance within the WCC.
There is presently insufficient commitment to ecumenical activity by
evangelicals in member churches of the WCC and in churches in the
wider Christian communion. This has helped perpetuate the divisive
stereotype that the WCC can only assist churches with regard to issues of
justice and human rights while organizations like the Lausanne movement
and the World Evangelical Fellowship should be turned to for insight
concerning evangelism. In fact, insofar as all these organizations claim to
express the whole gospel, they all need to listen to and learn from one
another.
Theological concerns
The moderator of the central committee of the WCC identified in his
report that the WCC has remained unable to develop a “vital and
coherent theology”. Our experience of the assembly confirms this. The
ecumenical movement needs a theology rooted in the Christian revela¬
tion and is relevant to contemporary problems. At present, there is
insufficient clarity regarding the relationship between the confession of
the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Saviour according to scripture, the
person and work of the Holy Spirit, and legitimate concerns which are
part of the WCC agenda. We share many of these concerns, such as
those related to justice, peace and the integrity of creation, to the
contextualization (or inculturation) of the gospel, and to religious
pluralism. This theological deficit not only conspires against the work of
the WCC as a Christian witness but also increases the tensions among its
member churches.
284 Signs of the Spirit
We encourage individuals and churches with evangelical concerns to
engage themselves in serious theological reflection to fill the existing gap.
The challenge is to develop a theology forged in the midst of obedient
action for the sake of the gospel, so as to bring together the apostolic faith
and the suffering of the oppressed, the personal and the social, the private
and the public, justification by faith and the struggle for peace with
justice, commitment to Christ and action empowered by the Holy Spirit in
the midst of the crises facing the modem world.
Practical challenges
1. We have been challenged again by the call for Christian unity
which the WCC has had as its vocation. We call those with evangelical
concerns to place high priority on visible expressions of Christian unity.
2. Evangelicals need to take a more active part in ecumenical events,
both evangelicals who are part of member churches and those who are
outside; for example we draw attention to the WCC youth event in 1992
in which we hope that the evangelical youth movements will also be able
to participate. Evangelical youth movements have a long experience of
empowering young people.
3. In light of the assembly theme, “Come, Holy Spirit — Renew the
Whole Creation”, we were concerned at the failure of the assembly to
highlight the significant contribution of pentecostal and charismatic
Christians to the renewal of the church in its life and worship. Fearing that
we too are all too often guilty of treating them in the same way, we urge
non-pentecostal evangelicals to work towards greater respect, harmony
and cooperation with pentecostal and charismatic Christians.
4. The assembly challenged us to respond more adequately to the
needs of indigenous and marginalized peoples in our own contexts. It
alerted us to the special predicament of Aboriginal people in Australia.
Aboriginal evangelicals who participated in our meeting shared their pain
and anguish and the lack of support for their churches received from
evangelicals in general. They call on evangelicals to support their
aspirations for recognition as a people with a culture shaped by the
interaction between their traditional culture and the biblical perspective,
for their right to self-determination, and to support their struggle for
justice and land rights.
5. The experience provided by the assembly of work in sub-sections
enabled evangelicals and those from other perspectives to discover each
other not as antagonists but as believers together. In particular we
recognized the many common theological commitments and concerns
Additional Documents 285
with the Orthodox. We strongly urge that conversations and encounters
between evangelicals and the Orthodox be fostered as soon as possible to
explore common ground and address differences.
6. We have been challenged to pursue the examination of our own
experience and expression of the syncretism between Christianity and
cultural traditions. We cannot address the charge of syncretism to the
religious experiences of people in the two-thirds world without at the
same time examining afresh the degree to which Christianity in the
Western world has easily assimilated aspects of its own culture such as
rationalism and individualism.
7. Very inadequate attention was given in the assembly to the
dramatic and far-reaching changes that have taken place in Eastern
Europe. It raised questions about the way in which sections of the
ecumenical movement supported the ruling ideologies in Eastern
Europe. We were challenged to examine ways in which Christians are
tempted to align themselves uncritically with the spirit of the age. We
were also encouraged by the witness of those Christians in Eastern
Europe whose testimony witnesses to the power of the Holy Spirit to
sustain God’s people and to bring new life amidst death and
adversity.
8. The debates on the Gulf war forced us to recognize the inadequacy
of the traditional just-war theory which evangelicals have by and large
embraced, except for those from the peace tradition. We are challenged to
work afresh on a Christian approach to war and peace-making in a
modem context.
9. The inadequacy of theological reflection in the handling of com¬
plex issues regarding justice, peace and the integrity of creation
challenges us to recognize the lack of such reflection on those themes
among evangelicals and the need for intensive theological reflection in
these areas.
10. We have been challenged by the leadership of women in this
assembly. Women were visible and active participants in the full pro¬
gramme of the assembly including worship (both preaching and adminis¬
tering the eucharist); section work, plenary sessions, business and com¬
mittee actions as well as the educational offerings of the visitors’
programme. The assembly was enriched by the participation of these
many gifted women. This challenges the evangelical movement to re¬
assess its theological understanding of women’s spiritual giftedness and
to take care that it does not unwittingly quench the activity of the Holy
Spirit.
286 Signs of the Spirit
We thank God for the opportunity we have had to be involved in this
assembly. We humbly encourage evangelical Christians everywhere to
join us in praying “Come, Holy Spirit — Renew the Whole Creation” and
begin with us.
Chris Ambrose, Churches of Christ in Australia (press)
Walter Arnold, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Wurttemberg (central
committee)
George Austin, Church of England (delegate)
Ray Bringham, Church of God, USA (guest)
John Broadhurst, Church of England (delegate)
Bjprn Bue, Church of Norway (central committee)
David Coffey, Baptist, Union of Great Britain (delegate)
Donald Dayton, Wesleyan Theological Society, USA (observer)
John Evans, Presbyterian Church of New Zealand (accredited visitor)
Douglas Fondell, Evangelical Covenant Church USA (accredited visitor)
Ben Fubara-Manuel, Presbyterian Church of Nigeria (youth delegate)
Malcolm Hanson, United Reformed Church in the United Kingdom
(adviser)
Sue Homer, Evangelical Covenant Church, USA (adviser)
Jim Houston, Anglican Church of Australia (visitor)
Robert Johnston, Evangelical Covenant Church, USA (delegated ob¬
server)
Peter Kuzmic, Evangelical Church, Yugoslavia (adviser)
Robert McNaughton, Evangelical Covenant Church, USA (observer)
John McKinlay, Presbyterian Church of New Zealand (accredited visitor)
Vijay Menon, Church of England (delegate)
John Mullen, Evangelical Covenant Church, USA (accredited visitor)
David Parker, Baptist Union of Australia (accredited visitor)
Jeff Powell, Presbyterian Church (USA) (press)
Cecil M. Robeck, Assemblies of God, USA (accredited visitor)
Margaret Rodgers, Anglican Church of Australia (delegate)
Vinay Samuel, Church of South India (observer)
Rachel Shirras, Church of England (youth delegate)
William Showalter, Presbyterian Church (USA) (accredited visitor)
Chris Sugden, Church of England (press)
Margaret Swinson, Church of England (delegate)
Additional Documents 287
7.9. ASSEMBLY PARTICIPANTS
PRESIDENTS OF THE WCC
Barrow, H.E. Dame R. Nita (Barbados),* * Methodist Church in the Caribbean and
the Americas [Antigua] **
Biihrig, Dr Marga, Swiss Protestant Church Federation
Gregorios, H.E. Metropolitan Dr Paulos Mar, Malankara Orthodox Syrian
Church (India)
Hempel, Landesbischof Dr Johannes W., Federation of Evangelical Churches
[Germany]
Ignatios TV, His Beatitude, Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the
East [Syria] (absent)
Makhulu, Most Rev. W.P. Khotso, Church of the Province of Central Africa
[Botswana]
Wilson, Very Rev. Dr Lois M., United Church of Canada
OFFICERS OF THE WCC
Moderator of central committee
Held, Rev. Dr Heinz Joachim, Evangelical Church in Germany
Vice-moderators of central committee
Chrysostomos of Myra, H.E. Metropolitan, Ecumenical Patriarchate [Turkey]
Talbot, Dr Sylvia, (Virgin Islands USA) African Methodist Episcopal Church
[USA]
General secretary
Castro, Rev. Dr Emilio, (Switzerland) Methodist Church in Uruguay
DELEGATES FROM MEMBER CHURCHES
Abbey -Mensah, Rev. Mrs Dinah, fo. Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana
Abdelsayed, Archpriest Gabriel, mo, (USA), Coptic Orthodox Church [Egypt]
m = male; f = female; o = ordained; 1 = lay; y = youth.
* Indicates country of residence where it is other than that specified in the name of the
church.
** Square brackets indicate that this is not part of the name of the church.
288 Signs of the Spirit
Abel , Miss Carol, fl, Church in Wales
Abou Edou, Pasteur Samuel, mo, Presbyterian Church of Cameroon
Aboud, Mrs Heather, fl, (Australia), Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and
All the East [Syria]
Abraham , Prof. Annama, fl, (India), Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and
All the East
Abraham , Mr Pulukuri, ml, Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches [India]
Abraham, Mrs Ruth, fl, Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus
Abr amides, Mr Elias, ml, (Argentina), Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
[Turkey]
Aco, Sra Graciela, fl, Methodist Church in Brazil
Adams, Dr Charles, mo, Progressive National Baptist Convention Inc. [USA]
Adejobi, Ms Adedoja, yfl. Church of the Lord Aladura [Nigeria]
Adejobi, Primate Emmanuel, mo, Church of the Lord Aladura [Nigeria]
Ademola, Deaconess Isabella, fl, Methodist Church [Nigeria]
Aden, Ms Margaretha, fl, Kalimantan Evangelical Church (GKE) [Indonesia]
Adhikari, Mr Susanta, ml, Bangladesh Baptist Sangha
Agger, Rev. Eskil, mo, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark
Aguiar, Sr Anibal, yml, (Uruguay), Evangelical Church of the River Plate
[Argentina]
Aguilar, Ms Elizabeth, yfl, United Church of Christ [USA]
Aherrera, Mrs Lydia, fl, (Philippines), United Methodist Church [USA]
Ahn Chu Hye, Miss, yfl, Korean Methodist Church
Ahren, Rt Rev. Dr Per-Olov, mo, Church of Sweden
Ailenei, Mr Alexandru, ml, Romanian Orthodox Church
Ajalat, Mr Charles, ml, (USA), Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All
the East [Syria]
Akande, Rev. Dr S.T. Ola, mo, Nigerian Baptist Convention
Akanle, Mrs Abosede, fl, Church of Nigeria
Akinola, Mrs Aduke, fl, Nigerian Baptist Convention
Al Laham, Mr Samer, ml, Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the
East [Syria]
Al Zehlaoui, Rev. Fr Joseph, mo, (Cyprus), Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of
Antioch and All the East [Syria]
Alemayehu, Ato Lulsegged, ml, Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus
Alesana, Rev. Enoka, mo, Congregational Christian Church in American Samoa
Allsop, Rev. Ian, mo. Churches of Christ in Australia
Almasi, Dr Stefan, ml, Reformed Church of Romania
Ambrosius of Joensuu, Bishop, mo, Orthodox Church of Finland
Amouzou , Pasteur Komla, mo, Evangelical Church of Togo
Anderson, Mr Alexander Ross, ml, Church of Scotland
Anderson, Bishop Vinton, mo, African Methodist Episcopal Church [USA]
Anderson, Mrs Vivienne, fl, African Methodist Episcopal Church [USA]
Andersson, Rev. Krister, mo, Mission Covenant Church of Sweden
Additional Documents 289
Andrea , Ms Helene, fl, (Lebanon), Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and
All the East [Syria]
Andrews , Rev. James, mo, Presbyterian Church (USA)
Anggui, Rev. Andreas, mo, Toraja Church [Indonesia]
Annobil, Rt Rev. Theophilus, mo, (Ghana), Church of the Province of West
Africa [Liberia]
Arends, Rev. Samuel, mo, (South Africa), United Congregational Church of
Southern Africa
Arnold, Oberkirchenrat Walter, mo, Evangelical Church in Germany
Ashjian, Archbishop Mesrob, mo, (USA), Armenian Apostolic Church (Cilicia)
[Lebanon]
Asuoha, Mrs Ezinne, fl, Presbyterian Church of Nigeria
Attia, Mr Maged, yml, (Australia), Coptic Orthodox Church [Egypt]
Audi, Metropolitan Elias, mo, (Lebanon), Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Anti¬
och and All the East [Syria]
Auriaria, Deaconess Rakera, yfl, Methodist Church in Fiji
Austin, Ven. George, mo, Church of England
Avramides, Rev. Stephen, mo, Church of Greece
Avvakumov, Rev. Fr Yuri, mo, Russian Orthodox Church
Awasom, Rev. Henry, mo, Presbyterian Church in Cameroon
Aykazian, Rev. Fr Viken, mo, (Switzerland), Armenian Apostolic Church (Etch-
miadzin) [USSR]
Ayres Mattos, Bispo Paulo, mo, Methodist Church in Brazil
Azariah, Mrs Khushnud, fl, Church of Pakistan
Baah, Miss Maria, yfl, (Trinidad), African Methodist Episcopal Church [USA]
Babirye, Miss Sarah, fl, Church of Uganda
Barlund, Ms Catarina, fl, Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Finland
Bajfoe, Mr Stephen, yml, Methodist Church, Ghana
Baiin, Rev. Chita, mo, Pasundan Christian Church (GKP) [Indonesia]
Bailey, Mrs Joyce, fl, (Jamaica), Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the
Americas
Baker, Rev. Christina, fo, United Church of Canada
Bakhomios, Metropolitan, mo, Coptic Orthodox Church [Egypt]
Bakkevig, Rev. Dr Trond, mo, Church of Norway
Balfour, Rev. Penny, fo, Scottish Episcopal Church
Baliozian, Bishop Aghan, mo, (Australia), Armenian Apostolic Church (Etch-
miadzin) [USSR]
Bannister, Mrs Kathryn, yfl, United Methodist Church [USA]
Bar bier, Pasteur Jean-Pierre, mo, Evangelical Lutheran Church of France
Bar croft. Miss Janet, fl, Church of Ireland
Bartholomeos of Chalcedon, Metropolitan, mo, Ecumenical Patriarchate of
Constantinople [Turkey]
Bartsch, Dr Hans-Joachim, ml, Federation of Evangelical Churches [Germany]
Basarab, Dr Mircea, mo, (Germany), Romanian Orthodox Church
290 Signs of the Spirit
Basmajian, Ms Nancy, fl, (USA), Armenian Apostolic Church (Etchmiadzin)
[USSR]
Bass, Bishop Richard, mo, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church [USA]
Baur, Herr Peter, ml, (Switzerland), United Methodist Church [USA]
Bazett, Barbara, fl, Canadian Yearly Meeting-Society of Friends
Bebis, Prof. Dr George, ml, (USA), Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
[Turkey]
Becker, OLKR Henje, mo, Evangelical Church in Germany
Bendza, Prof. Dr Marian, ml, Autocephalic Orthodox Church in Poland
Beredi, Bischof Dr Andrej, mo, Slovak Evangelical Church- Augsburg Confes¬
sion in Yugoslavia
Bertrand, Pasteur Michel, mo, Reformed Church of France
Best, Mrs Marion, fl, United Church of Canada
Beukenhorst , Pasteur Martinus, mo, United Protestant Church of Belgium
Bezchasny, Rev. Fr Sergey, mo, Russian Orthodox Church
Bhintarto, Drs Andrew Lucius, mo, Indonesian Christian Church (GKI)
Bichkov, Rev. Dr Alexei, mo, Evangelical Christian Baptist Union of the USSR
Binas-O, Miss Rosemarie, yfl, Philippine Independent Church
Birmele, Prof. Dr Andre, mo, Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession of
Alsace and Lorraine [France]
Bis hoy, Bishop, mo, Coptic Orthodox Church [Egypt]
Bjornsdottir, Mrs Adda, fl, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland
Blei, Rev. Dr Karel, mo, Netherlands Reformed Church
Bobrova, Mrs Nina, fl, Russian Orthodox Church
Boots, Ms Nora, fl, United Methodist Church [USA]
Borovoy, Protopresbyter Vitaly, mo, Russian Orthodox Church
Bosenberg, Sra Cristina, yfl. Evangelical Church of the River Plate [Argentina]
Boteler, Rev. Mary-Gene, fo, Presbyterian Church (USA)
Bottoms, Rev. Ruth, yfo, Baptist Union of Great Britain
Boukis, Mr Dimitris, yml, Greek Evangelical Church
Boyadjian, Ms Manoushag, fl, Armenian Apostolic Church (Cilicia) [Lebanon]
Bozabalian, Archbishop Nerses, mo, Armenian Apostolic Church (Etchmiadzin)
[USSR]
Brandner, Herr Tobias, yml, Swiss Protestant Church Federation
Bredt, Rev. Violet, fo, United Church of Zambia
Brendel, Herr Thomas, ml, Federation of Evangelical Churches [Germany]
Bresch, Pasteur Thomas, mo, Reformed Church of Alsace and Lorraine [France]
Briggs, Mr John, ml. Baptist Union of Great Britain
Brink, Rev. Agnete, fo. Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark
Broadhurst, Rev. John, mo, Church of England
Brown, Dr Katheryn Middleton, fl, African Methodist Episcopal Church [USA]
Brown Christopher , Bishop Sharon, fo, United Methodist Church [USA]
Browning, Most Rev. Edmond, mo, Episcopal Church [USA]
Bruce, Mrs Anne, fl. United Free Church of Scotland
Additional Documents 291
Bruce , Rev. Graeme, mo, United Free Church of Scotland
Bryce, Rt Rev. Jabez, mo, (Fiji), Church of the Province of New Zealand
Bubeer, Mr Andrew, yml, Baptist Union of Great Britain
Buchanan, Rt Rev. Duncan, mo, (South Africa), Church of the Province of
Southern Africa
Bue, Bishop Bj0m, mo, Church of Norway
Buevsky, Dr Alexei, ml, Russian Orthodox Church
Burnham, Ms Rachel, fo, United Reformed Church in the UK
Bussert, Rev. Joy, fo, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Butler, Rt Rev. Dr Thomas, mo, Church of England
Buys, Rev. Jameson, mo, Dutch Reformed Mission Church [South Africa]
Cabildo, Rev. Arcadio, mo, Evangelical Methodist Church in the Philippines
Camba, Bishop Erme, mo, United Church of Christ in the Philippines
Cameron, Miss Annabelle, yfl, Presbyterian Church in Canada
Campbell, Dr Dennis, mo, United Methodist Church [USA]
Carey, Rt Rev. George, mo, Church of England
Carol, Ms Anisoara, fl, Romanian Orthodox Church
Carpenter, Mrs Jennifer, fl, Methodist Church [UK]
Carvalho, Mr Ari, yml, United Methodist Church [USA]
Caspary, Pfarrer Heinrich-Nikolaus, mo, Evangelical Church in Germany
Casserstedt Lundgren, Mrs Gunilla, yfl, Church of Sweden
Castro, Bishop George, mo, Evangelical Methodist Church in the Philippines
Chandrasekaran, Prof. Edna, fl, United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India
Chatupa, Mr Timothy, ml, United Church of Zambia
Chilstrom, Bishop Herbert, mo, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Chiwanga, Mrs Gladys, fl, Church of the Province of Tanzania
Chovanova, Rev. Dana, fo, Slovak Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confes¬
sion in the CSFR
Christenson, Mrs Joyce, fl, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
Christodoulos of Demetriados , Metropolitan, mo, Church of Greece
Chrysanthos of Limassol, Metropolitan, mo, Church of Cyprus
Chrysostomos of Myra, Metropolitan, mo, (Greece), Ecumenical Patriarchate of
Constantinople [Turkey]
Chrysostomos of Peristerion, Metropolitan, mo, Church of Greece
Chryssavgis, Rev. Dr John, mo, (Australia), Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constan¬
tinople [Turkey]
Cioconea, Mr Cristian, ml, Romanian Orthodox Church
Coffey, Rev. David, mo, Baptist Union of Great Britain
Colley, Mrs Carol, fl, United Methodist Church [USA]
Coman, Rev. Prof. Constantin, mo, Romanian Orthodox Church
Conley, Mrs Judith, fl, Episcopal Church [USA]
Contreras Hernandez , Sra Susana, fl, Methodist Church of Mexico
Correia, Profesora Evanilza de Barros, fl, Episcopal Church of Brazil
292 Signs of the Spirit
Cosma, Mother Filoteia, fl, Romanian Orthodox Church
Coutret , Therese, fl, Friends General Conference [USA]
Cragg , Rev. Dr Donald, mo, (South Africa), Methodist Church of Southern
Africa
Craston, Rev. Canon Colin, mo, Church of England
Crow, Jr, Rev. Dr Paul, mo, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) [USA]
Csete-Szemesi, Senior Istvan, mo, Reformed Christian Church in Yugoslavia
Csiha, Dr theol. Kalman, mo, Reformed Church of Romania
Curnow, Rev. Andrew, mo, Anglican Church of Australia
Dabala, Sr Mario, ml, (Uruguay), Waldensian Church [Italy]
Daciuk, Ms Anna, yfl, Autocephalic Orthodox Church in Poland
Dadayan, Mr Khatchig, ml, (Canada), Armenian Apostolic Church (Cilicia)
[Lebanon]
Daley, Rev. Oliver, mo, (Jamaica), United Church of Jamaica and Grand
Cayman
Daniel of Moldavia and Bukovina, Metropolitan, mo, Romanian Orthodox
Church
Danquah, Ms Beatrice, yfl, Presbyterian Church of Ghana
Darmoutomo, Mr Prayudi, ml, Indonesian Christian Church (GKI)
David of Suchumi and Abkhazeti, Metropolitan, mo, Georgian Orthodox Church
[USSR]
Davies, Rev. Noel, mo, Union of Welsh Independents
Davison, Mrs Beverly, fl, American Baptist Churches in the USA
Daw, Ms Diana, fl, Myanmar Baptist Convention
Dawd-El-Khoury , Mrs Mahat, fl, Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All
the East [Syria]
De Boer-De Leeuw, Drs Jeannette, fl, Netherlands Reformed Church
De Gaay Fortman, Prof. Dr Bastiaan, ml, Reformed Churches in the Netherlands
De La Torre, Mrs Catalina, fl, Philippine Independent Church
Deenik-Moolhuizen, Rev. Jeannette, fo, Netherlands Reformed Church
Denecke, Pfarrerin Ulrike, fo, Evangelical Church in Germany
Devasagayam, Prof. Swamiraj, ml, Church of South India
Dickson, Rev. Prof. Kwesi, mo, Methodist Church, Ghana
Dionysios of Neapolis, Metropolitan, mo, Church of Greece
Dipko, Rev. Dr Thomas, mo, United Church of Christ [USA]
Doig, Mrs Margaret, fl. Church of Scotland
Dometian ofVidin, Metropolitan, mo, Bulgarian Orthodox Church
Domingues , Pastor Jorge, ymo, Methodist Church in Brazil
Du, Mrs Norma, fl, Philippine Independent Church
Ebelle Ekanga, Mme Nicole-Christine, fo, Evangelical Church of Cameroon
Edgar, Pauline, fl, Friends General Conference [USA]
Edwards, Very Rev. Dr David, mo, Church of England
Edwards, Ms Donnalie, yfl, (Barbados), Church in the Province of the West
Indies
Additional Documents 293
Efthimiou, Rev. Dr Milton, mo, (USA), Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constanti¬
nople [Turkey]
Eidson, Mr Ryan, yml, United Methodist Church [USA]
Elia, Mr David, yml, (Australia), Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and all
the East [Syria]
Elia, Miss Rima, yfl, (Australia), Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and
All the East [Syria]
Endri Kusruri Kar santo, Dra, fl, Javanese Christian Churches (GKJ) [Indonesia]
Eneme, Mrs Grace, fl, Presbyterian Church in Cameroon
Engel, Frau Edeltraud, fl, Evangelical Church in Germany
Engelen, Ms Irma, fl. Evangelical Church of Sangir Talaud (GMIST) [Indonesia]
Epting, Kirchenrat Dr Karl-Christoph, mo, Evangelical Church in Germany
Erari, Dr Karel, mo, Evangelical Christian Church in Irian Jay a [Indonesia]
Eriksson, Ms Annika, fl, Mission Covenant Church of Sweden
Espino Zuniga, Reverendo Oscar, mo, Baptist Convention of Nicaragua
Estes, Mr Tolly, ml, Episcopal Church [USA]
Etienne, Mrs Emmy, fl, (Seychelles), Church of the Province of the Indian Ocean
Faa’alo, Rev. Puafitu, mo, Tuvalu Christian Church
Fabini, Mrs Alida, fl, (Romania), Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confes¬
sion in Romania
Familiaran, Rev. Moley, mo, American Baptist Churches in the USA
Farfan Figueroa, Pastor Erasmo, mo, Pentecostal Mission Church [Chile]
Fjarstedt, Rev. Dr Biom, mo, Church of Sweden
Florea, Mr Petra, ml, Romanian Orthodox Church
Fortes, Ms Raquel, yfl, Episcopal Church of Brazil
Foster, Rev. Robert, mo, Moravian Church in Jamaica
Foth, Ms Birgit, yfl, Mennonite Church [Germany]
Fouras, Mrs Maria, fl, (Australia), Church of Cyprus
Francisco, Rev. Julio, mo, Evangelical Congregational Church in Angola
Francois, Mrs Edith, fl, Presbyterian Church of Ghana
Fraser, Mr Craig, yml, Church of Scotland
Frazier, Mrs Bonnie, fl, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) [USA]
Fry, Rev. Dr Franklin, mo, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Fubara-Manuel, Rev. Benebo, ymo, Presbyterian Church of Nigeria
Gabriel, H.G. Archbishop, mo, Ethiopian Orthodox Church
Gabriel of Larissa, Bishop, mo, (Australia), Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of
Antioch and All the East [Syria]
Gagua, Mr Boris, ml, Georgian Orthodox Church [USSR]
Galfy, Dr Zoltan, mo, Reformed Church of Romania
Gallay, Mme Rose-Marie, fl, Swiss Protestant Church Federation
Gam, Rt Rev. Getake, mo, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea
Ganaba, Mrs Olga, fl, Russian Orthodox Church
Garima, H.G. Archbishop, mo, Ethiopian Orthodox Church
Gar ling ton, Ms Thelma, fl, International Evangelical Church [USA]
294 Signs of the Spirit
Garrett , Dr Maxine, fl, Moravian Church, USA (Northern Province)
Gcabashe, Mrs Virginia, fl, (South Africa), Methodist Church of Southern Africa
Gedisa, Ms Gabby, fl, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea
Geil, Bishop Georg, mo, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark
Geil, Ms Mette, yfl, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark
Geiser, Pfarrer Daniel, mo, Mennonite Church [Germany]
Georges, Rev. Judith, fo, Church of the Brethren [USA]
Gerka , Prof. Dr Milan, mo, Orthodox Church of Czechoslovakia
Gerny, Bischof Hans, mo, Old Catholic Church of Switzerland
Gerritsma, Drs Nynke, yfl, Reformed Churches in the Netherlands
Gerschau, Ms Jutta, fl, Evangelical Church in Germany
Ghose, Most Rev. John, mo, Church of North India
Giampiccoli, Pastor Franco, mo, Waldensian Church [Italy]
Giannopoulos , Archimandrite Theofilos, mo, Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of
Jerusalem
Gilbert, Dr Helga, fl, Evangelical Church in Germany
Gill, Mr Mehboob, ml, Church of Pakistan
Girsang, Rev. Kamonangan, mo, Simalungun Protestant Christian Church
(GKPS) [Indonesia]
Giultsis, Prof. Vassilios, ml, (Greece), Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexan¬
dria [Egypt]
Gomez, Rt Rev. Drexel, mo, (Barbados), Church in the Province of the West
Indies
Goncharov, Rev. Fr Georgy, mo, (Czechoslavakia) Russian Orthodox Church
Gondarra, Rev. Djiniyini, mo, Uniting Church in Australia
Gonzalez, Mr Hector, ml, American Baptist Churches in the USA
Gorski, Obispo William, mo, Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Chile
Grant, Rev. James, mo, Church of Scotland
Gregorios, Metropolitan Dr Paulos Mar, mo, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church
[India]
Grey-Smith, Ms Ruth, fl, Anglican Church of Australia
Grove, Bishop William, mo, United Methodist Church [USA]
Grumm, Ms Christine, fl, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Guibunda, Mr Humberto, ml, (Mozambique), United Methodist Church [USA]
Guli, Rev. Dr John, mo, Church of the Brethren in Nigeria
Gulo, Rev. Lala’aro, mo, Nias Protestant Christian Church (BNKP) [Indonesia]
Gutierrez, Obispo Sinforiano, mo, Free Pentecostal Mission Church of Chile
Habib, Rev. Dr Samuel, mo, Synod of the Nile of the Evangelical Church [Egypt]
Hallewas, Dr Edward, mo, Evangelical Lutheran Church [Netherlands!
Hanna, Dr Marcelle, fl, (USA), Coptic Orthodox Church [Egypt]
Hannon, Rt Rev. Brian, mo, Church of Ireland
Hanse, Mr Willem, yml, (Namibia), African Methodist Episcopal Church [USA]
Han Wenzao, Mr, ml, China Christian Council
Additional Documents 295
Harahap, Rev. Daniel, mo, Batak Protestant Christian Church (HKBP)
[Indonesia]
Hargrave, Mr James, yml, Church of England
Harper , Rev. Blanton, mo, National Baptist Convention of America
Harris, Mrs Dorothy, fl, Uniting Church in Australia
Harteveld, Mr Teunis, ml, Remonstrant Brotherhood [Netherlands]
Hartmann, Mme Henriette, fl, Swiss Protestant Church Federation
Hatendi, Rt Rev. Dr Ralph, mo, (Zimbabwe), Church of the Province of Central
Africa
Havea, Rev. Dr Sione, mo, Methodist Church in Tonga
Hayes, Rev. Stephen, mo, Presbyterian Church in Canada
Hearn, Rev. Woodrow, mo, United Methodist Church [USA]
Hebmiiller, Mr Paulo, yml, Evangelical Church of Lutheran Confession [Brazil]
Heilmann, Herr Friedrich, ml, Federation of Evangelical Churches [Germany]
Held, Rev. Dr Heinz Joachim, mo, Evangelical Church in Germany
Henseler, Rev. Sarah, fo, Reformed Church in America
Hirata, Mrs Makiko, fl, United Church of Christ in Japan
Hirschler, Landesbischof Horst, mo, Evangelical Church in Germany
Hoare, Sir Timothy, ml, Church of England
Hoekema, Rev. Alle, mo. General Mennonite Society [Netherlands]
Hosli, Pfarrerin Sabina, fo, Swiss Protestant Church Federation
Hoggard, Bishop J. Clinton, mo, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
[USA]
Holland, Rev. Prof. Angus, mo, (Australia), Presbyterian Church of Southern
Africa
Horsburgh, Prof. Michael, ml, Anglican Church of Australia
Horstman, Bishop Teunis, mo, Old Catholic Church of the Netherlands
Houmbouy, Monsieur Bealo, ml, Evangelical Church in New Caledonia and the
Loyalty Isles
Hromadka, Dr Josef, mo, Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren
Huang Chao-Hung, Dr, ml, Presbyterian Church in Taiwan
Humbert, Rev. Dr John, mo, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) [USA]
Hunsinger, Mme Beatrice, fl, Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession of
Alsace and Lorraine [France]
Hutasoit, Dra Rumondang, fl, Indonesian Christian Church (HKI)
Huttunen, Fr Heikki, mo, Orthodox Church of Finland
Hwang Wha Ja, Dr fl, Presbyterian Church of Korea
Hye Yeon Yoo, Ms, yfl, Presbyterian Church of Korea
Hylleberg, Rector Bent, mo, Baptist Union of Denmark
Iannuariy, Archimandrite, mo, Russian Orthodox Church
Ibrahim, Metropolitan Gregorios Yohanna, mo, Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of
Antioch and All the East [Syria]
Ieremia, Mrs Tifilelei, fl, Congregational Christian Church in Samoa
Ihorai, Pasteur Jacques, mo, Evangelical Church of French Polynesia
296 Signs of the Spirit
Ikuta, Rev. Cynthia, fo, United Church of Christ [USA]
Inangorore, Mme Jennifer, fl, (Burundi), Church of the Province of Burundi,
Rwanda and Zaire
Ionita, Rev. Fr loan, mo, (USA), Romanian Orthodox Church
Iriney, Metropolitan, mo, (Austria), Russian Orthodox Church
Isho, Mrs Susan, yfl, (Australia), Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East
[Iraq]
Iso, Mr Malaipa, yml, (Papua New Guinea), United Church in Papua New
Guinea and the Solomon Islands
Istavridis, Prof. Dr Vasil, ml, Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
[Turkey]
Ivanov, Archpriest Vladimir, mo, (Germany), Russian Orthodox Church
Izard, Miss Rosemary, yfl, Methodist Church [UK]
Jabbour, Mr Tony, ml, (Australia), Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and
All the East [Syria]
Jackson, Mr J. Rhett, ml, United Methodist Church [USA]
Jacobs, Mrs Lorraine, fl, Associated Churches of Christ in New Zealand
Jacobsen, Ms Anna, fl, Church of Norway
Jagers, Mrs Maryon, fl, (Netherlands), Church of England
Jaggi, Pfarrer Paul, mo, Swiss Protestant Church Federation
Jagusch, Herr Karl-Heinz, ml, Federation of Evangelical Churches [Germany]
James, Rev. Prof. Arthur, mo, United Presbyterian Church of Pakistan
Jarjour, Mrs Rosangela, fl, (Cyprus), National Evangelical Synod of Syria and
Lebanon
Jathanna, Miss Sukumari, fl, Church of South India
Jefferson, Rev. Ruth, fo, Anglican Church of Canada
Jenkins, Rev. David, mo, United Reformed Church in the UK
Jensen, Rev. Russell, mo, Baptist Union of New Zealand
Jeremias, Bishop, mo, Autocephalic Orthodox Church in Poland
Jessiman, Dr Jon, ml, United Church of Canada
Jock, Rev. John, mo, Presbyterian Church in the Sudan
John of Finland, Archbishop, mo, Orthodox Church of Finland
John of Pergamon, Metropolitan, mo, (Greece), Ecumenical Patriarchate of
Constantinople [Turkey]
Johnson, Bishop S. Tilewa, mo, (Gambia), Church of the Province of West
Africa
Johnston, Prof. Alexandra, fl, Presbyterian Church in Canada
Jones, Rt Rev. Alwyn Rice, mo, Church in Wales
Jones, Rev. Barry, mo, Methodist Church of New Zealand
Jones, Ms Catherine, yfl, Methodist Church of New Zealand
Jones, Dr Mac Charles, mo, National Baptist Convention of America
Jones, Jr, Rev. Robert, mo, National Baptist Convention of America
Jongeneel-Touw, Drs Magritha, fl, Netherlands Reformed Church
Jonson, Rt Rev. Dr Jonas, mo, Church of Sweden
Additional Documents 297
Joseph, Rev. Winston, mo, (Trinidad), Church in the Province of the West Indies
Juanitez, Rt Rev. Julian, mo, Philippine Independent Church
Jung, Dr Hans-Gernot, mo, Evangelical Church in Germany
Juras, Mr Jan, ml, Slovak Evangelical Church- Augsburg Confession in the CSFR
Kaessmann, Rev. Dr Margot, fo, Evangelical Church in Germany
Kalayci, Deacon Hrisostomo, mo, Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
[Turkey]
Kalinik ofVratsa, Metropolitan, mo, Bulgarian Orthodox Church
Kambodji, Rev. Djatu, mo, Christian Church of Central Sulawesi (GKST)
[Indonesia]
Kang Byoung Hoon, Dr, mo, Korean Methodist Church
Kangrga, Dr Nedeljko, ml, Serbian Orthodox Church [Yugoslavia]
Kao Chun-Ming, Rev., mo, Presbyterian Church in Taiwan
Karaisarides, Rev. Constantine, mo, Church of Greece
Karickam, Prof. Abraham, ml, Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar [India]
Karpenko, Rev. Fr Alexander, mo, (Switzerland), Russian Orthodox Church
Kathii, Rev. Henry, mo, Church of the Province of Kenya
Kathindi, Mrs Nangula, fl, (Namibia), Church of the Province of Southern Africa
Katonia, Citoyen Tusange, yml, Episcopal Baptist Community [Zaire]
Kazilimani, Mr Jason, ml, (Zambia), Church of the Province of Central Africa
Kea, Mrs Charlotte, fl, Church of the Province of Kenya
Keim, Frau Christine, yfl, Evangelical Church in Germany
Kelly, Ms Emily, yfl, Presbyterian Church (USA)
Kennedy, Rev. John, mo, (UK), Methodist Church
Keshishian, Archbishop Aram, mo, Armenian Apostolic Church (Cilicia)
[Lebanon]
Ketuabanza, Mme Mfutu, fl. Baptist Community of West Zaire
Khelendende, Maman Ndota, fl, Mennonite Community [Zaire]
Khumalo, Rev. Dr Samson, mo, Presbyterian Church of Africa [South Africa]
Kidess, Rev. Fr Issa, mo, Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the
East [Syria]
Kidu, Rev. Edea, mo, (Papua New Guinea), United Church in Papua New Guinea
and the Solomon Islands
Kidu, Mrs Taboro, fl, (Papua New Guinea), United Church in Papua New Guinea
and the Solomon Islands
Kikalao, Mr Nashon, yml, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania
Kim Hyung Ki, Mr, ml, Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea
Kim Hyung Tae, Very Rev. Dr, mo, Presbyterian Church of Korea
Kimhachandra, Rev. Sint, mo, Church of Christ in Thailand
Kimijima, Rev. Yozaburo, mo, United Church of Christ in Japan
Kinnunen, Mrs Mari, yfl, Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Finland
Kirby, Ms Ellen, fl. United Methodist Church [USA]
Kirill of Smolensk, H.E. Archbishop, mo, Russian Orthodox Church
Kirkpatrick, Rev. Clifton, mo, Presbyterian Church (USA)
298 Signs of the Spirit
Kirov , Mr Dimitre, ml, Bulgarian Orthodox Church
Kishkovsky, Very Rev. Leonid, mo, Orthodox Church in America
Kisku, Most Rev. Sagenen, mo, United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India
Kitahara, Ms Yoko, yfl, United Church of Christ in Japan
Klaiber, Bischof Dr Walter, mo, (Germany), United Methodist Church [USA]
Klapsis , Rev. Dr Emmanuel, mo, (USA), Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constan¬
tinople [Turkey]
Klein, Bischof Dr Christoph, mo, Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confes¬
sion in Romania
Knall, Bischof Dr Dieter, mo, Evangelical Church of the Augsburg and Helvetic
Confessions [Austria]
Koenig, Oberkirchenratin Irene, fo, Federation of Evangelical Churches [Ger¬
many]
Kojfeman, Dr Leendert, mo, Reformed Churches in the Netherlands
Koloxva, Bishop Sebastian, mo, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania
Konach, Mr Wsiewolod, ml, Autocephalic Orthodox Church in Poland
Korhammer, Dr Rita, fl, Evangelical Church in Germany
Koshiishi, Rev. Samuel, mo, Anglican-Episcopal Church in Japan
Koshy, Prof. George, ml, Church of South India
Kosieng, Pastor Beka, mo, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea
Kostic, Very Rev. Milun, mo, (UK), Serbian Orthodox Church [Yugoslavia]
Koukoura, Dr Dimitra, fl, (Greece), Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria
[Egypt]
Kovacevich, Bishop Christopher, mo, (USA), Serbian Orthodox Church [Yugos¬
lavia]
Kraft, Bischof Dr Sigisbert, mo, Catholic Diocese of Old Catholics in Germany
Krco, Bishop Longin, mo, (Australia), Serbian Orthodox Church [Yugoslavia]
Kreyer, Rev. Virginia, fo, United Church of Christ [USA]
Krusche, Generalsup. Dr Gunter, mo, Federation of Evangelical Churches
[Germany]
Kiittler, Superintendent Thomas, mo, Federation of Evangelical Churches
[Germany]
Kumar, Miss Rachel, fl, Methodist Church in India
Kumar, Mr Uttam, ml, United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India
Kumari, Miss B. Samarpana, yfl, Church of South India
Kunuk, Assist. Sup. Methusalah, ml, Anglican Church of Canada
Kuria, Rev. Dr Plawson, mo, (Kenya), Presbyterian Church of East Africa
Kurian, Fr Dr Jacob, mo, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church [India]
Kyrill, Archimandrite, mo, (UK), Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
[Turkey]
L’Huillier, Archbishop Peter, mo, Orthodox Church in America
Labajova, Ms Vlasta, yfl, Silesian Evangelical Church- Augsburg Confession
[CSFR1
Additional Documents 299
Labi, Rev. Fr Kwame, mo, (Ghana), Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria
and All Africa [Egypt]
Labiro, Dra Paulina, fl, Christian Church of Central Sulawesi (GKST)
[Indonesia]
Laham, Me Albert, ml, (Switzerland), Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch
and All the East [Syria]
Laidlaw, Mrs Catherine, fl, Church of Scotland
Lakew, Mrs Zewditu, fl, Ethiopian Orthodox Church
Lai, Rev. James, mo, Methodist Church in India
Lars son. Dr Birgitta, fl, Church of Sweden
Lasaro Rakuka, Rev. Manasa, mo, Methodist Church in Fiji
Le Roux, Ms Yvette, yfl, (South Africa), Methodist Church of Southern Africa
Lee, Prof. Dr Samuel, ml, Presbyterian Church of Korea
Lefringhausen, Dr Klaus, ml, Evangelical Church in Germany
Lenz-Matthies, Frau Hildegard, fl, Evangelical Church in Germany
Lethunya, Mrs Sebolelo, fl, Lesotho Evangelical Church
Leuluaialii, Rev. Siatua, mo, (Western Samoa), Methodist Church in Samoa
Leuluaialii, Mrs Nefara, fl, (Western Samoa), Methodist Church in Samoa
Lewis, Rev. Dr Kingsley, mo, (Antigua), Moravian Church, Eastern West Indies
Province
Libbey, Rev. Dr Scott, mo, United Church of Christ [USA]
Liddell, Dr Shirley, fl, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church [USA]
Lind, Mrs Hilda, fl, Church of Sweden
Llewellyn, Dr Hallett, mo, United Church of Canada
Lodberg, Mr Peter, ml, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark
Lofton, Dr Fred, mo, Progressive National Baptist Convention Inc. [USA]
Los sky. Prof. Nicolas, ml, (France), Russian Orthodox Church
Love, Dr Janice, fl, United Methodist Church [USA]
Lumenta, Rev. Dirk, mo, Protestant Church in Indonesia
Lutz, Mr Charles, ml, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Lynn, Ms Stephanie, yfl, United Church of Canada
M’lmathiu, Bishop Lawi, mo, Methodist Church in Kenya
Mackenzie, Ms Vanessa, fl, (South Africa), Church of the Province of Southern
Africa
Maeda, Ms Keiko, fl, Anglican-Episcopal Church in Japan
Makelainen, Dr Heikki, mo, Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Finland
Makikon, Mrs Leionney, fl, Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu
Makonnen, Ato Gabre Christos, ml, Ethiopian Orthodox Church
Malcolm, Rt Rev. Arthur, mo, Anglican Church of Australia
Malpas, Mrs Jan, fl, Anglican Church of Australia
Maltzahn, Ms Kathleen, yfl, Uniting Church in Australia
Mandeng, Rev. Dr David, mo, Presbyterian Church of Cameroon
Mandysova, Mrs Nadeje, fl, Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren
Mani , Bishop Emmanuel, mo, Church of Nigeria
300 Signs of the Spirit
Manik , Elder Ingan, ml, Karo Batak Protestant Church (GBKP) [Indonesia]
Mantik-Mingkid, Mrs Annette, fl, Protestant Church in Indonesia
Mapanao, Miss Maryssa, fl, United Church of Christ in the Philippines
Maraki, Rev. Pakoa, mo, Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu
Marc, Mme le pasteur Isabelle, fo, Reformed Church of France
Martelli, Rev. Claudio, mo, Evangelical Methodist Church of Italy
Martinez , Rev. Joel, mo, United Methodist Church [USA]
Masai, Rev. Edwin, mo, Kalimantan Evangelical Church (GKE) [Indonesia]
Mashao, Mr Zachariah, ml, (South Africa), Evangelical Lutheran Church in
Southern Africa
Mategyero, Rev. Stanley, mo, Church of Uganda
Mathew, Mrs Rachel, fl, Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar [India]
Mathew, Miss Rebecca, fl, (USA), Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church [India]
Matsinhe, Rev. Carlos, mo, (Mozambique), Church of the Province of Southern
Africa
Matumbyo, Mr Christopher, yml, Church of the Province of Tanzania
Mawhinney, Rev. Edmund, mo, Methodist Church in Ireland
May My a Tun, Ms, yfl. Church of the Province of Burma
May land, Mrs Jean, fl, Church of England
Mba Nzue, Pasteur Emmanuel, mo, Evangelical Church of Gabon
Mbelolo, Prof. Ya Mpiku, ml, Evangelical Community [Zaire]
Mbise, Ms Loe Rose, fl, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania
Mbugo, Mr Andrew, yml, Province of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan
Mburu, Mr Saphiah Kiania, ml, (Kenya), Presbyterian Church of East Africa
McGonigle , Dr George, ml, Episcopal Church [USA]
McKenzie, Mr Tyrone, ml, (UK), Church in the Province of the West Indies
Meade, Miss Alfreda, fl, (Montserrat), Church in the Province of the West Indies
Mehlape, Mrs Mabel, fl, (South Africa), Evangelical Lutheran Church in South¬
ern Africa
Mekarios, H.G. Archbishop, mo, Ethiopian Orthodox Church
Melchizedek, H.G. Bishop, mo, Ethiopian Orthodox Church
Meletios of Nikopolis , Metropolitan, mo, Church of Greece
Melnik, Sister Liubov, fl, Russian Orthodox Church
Menon, Mr Vijay, ml, Church of England
Messakh, Rev. Thobias, mo, Protestant Evangelical Church in Timor (GMIT)
[Indonesia]
Meszaros, Bishop Dr Istvan, mo, Reformed Church in Hungary
Mezmer, Pfarrer Otto, mo, Evangelical Synodal Presbyterial Church of the
Augsburg confession in Romania
Mghwira, Ms Anna, fl, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania
Michael, Mr Rajkumar, ml, Methodist Church in India
Miko, Dr Eugen, mo, Reformed Christian Church in Slovakia [CSFR]
Miletich, Theologian Srboljub, ml, (Australia), Serbian Orthodox Church
[Yugoslavia]
Additional Documents 301
Miller , Dr Donald, mo, Church of the Brethren [USA]
Miller , Mrs Peggy Reiff, fl, Church of the Brethren [USA]
Miller-Keeley, Archdeacon Diane, fo, Church of the Province of New Zealand
Mirza, Rt Rev. Dr Zahir-Ud-Din, mo, Church of Pakistan
Misukka, Ms Marina, yfl, Orthodox Church of Finland
Mitchell , Dr Mozella, fl, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church [USA]
Mitsides, Dr Andreas, ml, Church of Cyprus
Moderow, Sup. Hans-Martin, mo, Federation of Evangelical Churches [Germany]
Mogoba , Bishop Mmuthlonyane, mo, (South Africa), Methodist Church of
Southern Africa
Mogwe , Miss Alice, fl, (Botswana), Church of the Province of Central Africa
Moraitini, Mrs Aliki, fl, (Switzerland), Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constanti¬
nople [Turkey]
Moran, Ms Cecilia, fl, Presbyterian Church (USA)
Moraru, Rev. Prof. Alexandru, mo, Romanian Orthodox Church
Morris, Ms Anne, fl, Church of England
Morris Jones, Rev. Derwyn, mo, Union of Welsh Independents
Moseme, Rev. Dr Abiel, mo, Lesotho Evangelical Church
Motel, Pfarrer Hans-Beat, mo, European Continental Province of the Moravian
Church — Western District [Germany]
Motsoeneng, Mr Tseliso, yml, Lesotho Evangelical Church
Moukouyou-Kimbouala, Monsieur Michel, ml, Evangelical Church of the Congo
Mourad Malak, Mrs Jacklin, yfl, (Australia), Coptic Orthodox Church [Egypt]
Moussa, Bishop, mo, Coptic Orthodox Church [Egypt]
Miiller-Stdver, Dr Irmela, fl, Evangelical Church in Germany
Mulder, Dr Edwin, mo, Reformed Church in America
Mules, Mr Glen, ml, Orthodox Church in America
Mundi, Mrs Regina, fl, Presbyterian Church in Cameroon
Mungania, Rev. John, mo, Methodist Church in Kenya
Munir, Mr Shahzad, yml, United Presbyterian Church of Pakistan
Munoz Moraga, Pastor Luis, mo, Pentecostal Church of Chile
Munro, Rev. Gavin, mo, Associated Churches of Christ in New Zealand
Munteanu, Mr loan, ml, Romanian Orthodox Church
Musinskis, Propst Laimons, mo, (Australia), Evangelical Lutheran Church of
Latvia in Exile [Canada]
Musuamba, Mme Bilenga, fl, Presbyterian Community [Zaire]
Muttiah, Rev. Dr Thesiganesan, mo, Methodist Church [Sri Lanka]
Muwanika, Ms Harriet, yfl. Church of Uganda
Muzau, Pasteur Kitangwa, mo, Baptist Community of West Zaire
Mwondha, Mrs Faith, fl, Church of Uganda
My a Han, Most Rev. Andrew, mo, Church of the Province of Burma
Nababan, Ephorus Dr Soritua, mo, Batak Protestant Christian Church (HKBP)
[Indonesia]
Nacpil, Bishop Emerito, mo, (Philippines), United Methodist Church [USA]
302 Signs of the Spirit
Najarian, Rev. Fr Haigazoun, mo, (USA), Armenian Apostolic Church (Etch-
miadzin) [USSR]
Nakashian, Mrs Anoush, fl, (Jerusalem), Armenian Apostolic Church (Etchmiad-
zin) [USSR]
Naniye, Chanoine Alfred, mo, (Burundi), Church of the Province of Burundi,
Rwanda and Zaire
Neevel, Rev. Mary Ann, fo, United Church of Christ [USA]
Neliubova, Ms Margarita, fl, Russian Orthodox Church
Nestor, Hieromonk, mo, Russian Orthodox Church
Ngcobo, Rev. Samuel, mo, (South Africa), Reformed Presbyterian Church of
Southern Africa
Ngoda , Mrs Joyce, fl, Church of the Province of Tanzania
Ngoie-Wa-Banze, Diaconesse, fo, Episcopal Baptist Community [Zaire]
Nguema Mvie, Monsieur Cesar, ml, Evangelical Church of Gabon
Ngugi, Rt Rev. James, mo, African Christian Church and Schools [Kenya]
Niederhoffen, Rev. Zoltan, mo, Reformed Church in Hungary
Nieminski, Rt Rev. Dr Joseph, mo, (Canada), Polish National Catholic Church
[USA]
Nifon of Ploiesti, Bishop, mo, Romanian Orthodox Church
Nikolaj of Dalmatia, Bishop, mo, Serbian Orthodox Church [Yugoslavia]
Niphon of Philipopolis , Bishop, mo, (USSR), Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of
Antioch and All the East [Syria]
Njike, Pasteur Charles, mo, Evangelical Church of Cameroon
Nontawasee, Mrs Prakai, fl, Church of Christ in Thailand
Nor gate, Rt Rev. Richard, mo, Church of the Province of Tanzania
Norman, Ms Virginia, fl, (Dominican Republic), Episcopal Church [USA]
Nwokafor, Mr Anthony, ml, Methodist Church [Nigeria]
Nyawo, Mrs Edith, fl, Evangelical Presbyterian Church in South Africa
Nyirabukara, Mme Josette, fl, Presbyterian Church of Rwanda
O'Connor, Rev. Canon Michael, mo, Church of England
Odenberg, Rev. Christina, fo, Church of Sweden
Oettel, Frau Christine, fl, Federation of Evangelical Churches [Germany]
Okine, Mrs Naomi, fl, Methodist Church, Ghana
Okullu, Rt Rev. Dr J. Henry, mo, Church of the Province of Kenya
Olf, Ms Vivian, fl, (Netherlands), European Continental Province of the Mora¬
vian Church — Western District [Germany]
Oliveira, Reverendo Deao Orlando, mo, Episcopal Church of Brazil
Omodunbi, Bishop Amos, mo, Methodist Church [Nigeria]
Omoyajowo, Very Rev. Prof. Joseph, mo, Church of Nigeria
Oneka, Mr Joseph, ml, Church of Uganda
Onema, Eveque Fama, mo, (Zaire), United Methodist Church [USA]
Orach, Mrs Esther, fl, Presbyterian Church in the Sudan
Orlova, Ms Tatyana, fl. Evangelical Christian Baptist Union of the USSR
Orteza, Mrs Edna, fl, (USA), United Church of Christ in the Philippines
Additional Documents 303
Osipov, Prof. Alexei, ml, Russian Orthodox Church
Osnaya Jimenez, Ms Saraf, fl, (Mexico), Episcopal Church [USA]
Ostrowski de Nunez, Dra Margarita, fl, Evangelical Church of the River Plate
[Argentina]
Otello, Consenior Jerzy, mo, Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in
Poland
Ottley , Rt Rev. James, mo, (Panama), Episcopal Church [USA]
Ovcharenko, Ms Alevtina, yfl, Russian Orthodox Church
Owen, Mrs Brenda, fl, Presbyterian Church of Wales
Owen, Rev. David, mo, Presbyterian Church of Wales
Page, Rev. Dr Ruth, fo, Church of Scotland
Pahl, Ms Cerise, fl, Evangelical Church of Lutheran Confession [Brazil]
Pajula, Erzbischof Kuno, mo, Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church [USSR]
Palmer, Mr Samuel, ml, Methodist Church of Sierra Leone
Panteleimon of Zakyntos, Metropolitan, mo, Church of Greece
Papaderos, Dr Alexandras, ml, (Greece), Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constan¬
tinople [Turkey]
Papazian, Prof. Hakob, ml, Armenian Apostolic Church (Etchmiadzin) [USSR]
Park Jong-Wha, Prof. Dr, mo, Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea
Park Pong Bae, Rev. Dr, mo, Korean Methodist Church
Parvey, Rev. Constance, fo, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Pasco, Obispo Maximo Tito, mo, Philippine Independent Church
Pashaian, Mrs Karine, fl, Armenian Apostolic Church (Etchmiadzin) [USSR]
Patelos, Prof. Constantine, ml, (Greece), Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alex¬
andria and All Africa [Egypt]
Patton, Dr Janet, fl, Presbyterian Church (USA)
Paul, Ms Jenny, fl, Province of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan
Paula, Bishop, mo, Coptic Orthodox Church [Egypt]
Paulin, Rev. Rachel, fo, Presbyterian Church of New Zealand
Pavlovic, Metropolitan Jovan, mo, Serbian Orthodox Church [Yugoslavia]
Peacocke, Rev. Dennis, mo, International Evangelical Church [USA]
Peers, Most Rev. Michael, mo, Anglican Church of Canada
Pereeti, Rev. Tekere, mo, Cook Islands Christian Church
Peter, Mrs Joyce, fl, Presbyterian Church of Africa [South Africa]
Petersoo, Most Rev. Udo, mo, Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church [Canada]
Petliuchenko , Archpriest Viktor, mo, Russian Orthodox Church
Pheidas, Prof. Vlasios, ml, Church of Greece
Phenya, Rt Rev. Rassie Gladwin, mo, (South Africa), Presbyterian Church of
Southern Africa
Pickens, Dr Larry, mo, United Methodist Church [USA]
Pihkala, Rev. Dr Juha, mo, Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Finland
Pikulski, Pfr Dr Kazimierz, mo, Polish Catholic Church in Poland
Pilton, Ms Linda, yfl, Churches of Christ in Australia
Piske, Rev. Meinrad, mo, Evangelical Church of Lutheran Confession [Brazil]
304 Signs of the Spirit
Pitakoe, Mr Luke, ml, (Solomon Islands), United Church in Papua New Guinea
and the Solomon Islands
Pitts, Rev. Tyrone, mo, Progressive National Baptist Convention Inc. [USA]
Poblete Molina, Sr Manuel, ml, Pentecostal Church of Chile
Poe, Ms Margaret, yfl, United Methodist Church [USA]
Pogo, Rt Rev. Ellison, mo, (Solomon Islands), Church of Melanesia
Pons, Sra Mariela, yfl. Evangelical Methodist Church [Argentina]
Popescu, Mr Cristian, yml, Romanian Orthodox Church
Popescu, Rev. Prof. Dimitru, mo, Romanian Orthodox Church
Popov, Prelate Alexander, mo, (Australia), Bulgarian Orthodox Church
Post, Herr Martin, yml, Evangelical Church in Germany
Posumah, Rev. Jedida, fo, Christian Evangelical Church in Minahasa (GMIM)
[Indonesia]
Powell, Rev. Staccato, mo, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church [USA]
Predele, Ms Aida, fl, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia [USSR]
Premasagar, Rt Rev. Victor, mo, Church of South India
Psiachas, Metropolitan Dionysios, mo, (New Zealand), Ecumenical Patriarchate
of Constantinople [Turkey]
Pullam, Ms Ruth, fl. United Church of Canada
Rabe Ranjanivo , Mile Mialy-Tiana, yfl, Malagasy Lutheran Church
Rabenirina, Mgr Remi, mo, (Madagascar), Church of the Province of the Indian
Ocean
Rabetokotany , Monsieur Miarilaza, yml, Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar
Racimo, Rev. Fr Primitivo, mo, Philippine Independent Church
Rada, Dr Heath, ml, Presbyterian Church (USA)
Raiser, Prof. Dr Konrad, mo, Evangelical Church in Germany
Raiwalui, Mrs Vasiti, fl, Methodist Church in Fiji
Rakic, Protodeacon Radomir, mo, Serbian Orthodox Church [Yugoslavia]
Rakotomanga, Mile Lucile, yfl, Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar
Rakotomaro, Pasteur Jean-Baptiste, mo, Malagasy Lutheran Church
Ramambasoa, Mme Florentine, fl, Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar
Ramambasoa, Pasteur Joseph, mo, Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar
Rambaran, Drs Fred, mo, Moravian Church in Suriname
Rani, Ms V.R. Vidhya, fl. United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India
Ranorosoalalao, Mme Simone, fl, Malagasy Lutheran Church
Rantakari, Mrs Birgitta, fl, (Zambia), Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Finland
Rastan, Miss Simin, fl, (Iran) Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and Middle East
Ravololoson, Mme le pasteur Esther, fo, Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar
Rayner, Most Rev. Dr Keith, mo, Anglican Church of Australia
Reber, Dr Robert, ml, United Methodist Church [USA]
Regul, Oberkirchenrat Jurgen, mo, Evangelical Church in Germany
Rehm, Ms Jennifer, yfl, Episcopal Church [USA]
Reid, Ms Evelyn, fl. National Baptist Convention of America
Reitsma, Mr Bernard, yml, Netherlands Reformed Church
Additional Documents 305
Rhaburn, Mrs Violet, fl, (Panama), Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the
Americas
Richaud, Mme Vahi, fl, Evangelical Church of French Polynesia
Richmond, Rev. Helen, fo, Uniting Church in Australia
Rights, Dr Graham, mo, Moravian Church, USA (Southern Province)
Riini, Mrs Mona, fl, Presbyterian Church of New Zealand
Ritchie, Pastora Nelida, fo, Evangelical Methodist Church [Argentina]
Robbins, Rev. Dr Bruce, mo, United Methodist Church [USA]
Robins, Ms Zaiga, fl, (USA), Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia [USSR]
Robinson, Mr Keith, ml, Scottish Episcopal Church
Rodgers, Deaconess Margaret, fl, Anglican Church of Australia
Roder, Pfarrer Thomas, mo, (Germany), United Methodist Church [USA]
Roger son, Rt Rev. Barry, mo, Church of England
Romanides , Prof. John, mo, Church of Greece
Rondo, Rev. Kelly, mo, Christian Evangelical Church in Minahasa (GMIM)
[Indonesia]
Roric Jur, Rt Rev. Gabriel, mo, Province of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan
Rose, Mr Mark, yml, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
Roskovec, Rev. Jan, ymo, Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren
Rotgans, Ms Rosalien, fl, Moravian Church in Suriname
Ruiz Avila, Obispo Raul, mo, Methodist Church of Mexico
Rumbergs, Dr Daina, fl, (Australia), Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia in
Exile [Canada]
Rumsarwir, Rev. Willem, mo, Evangelical Christian Church in Irian Jaya
[Indonesia]
Ruoff, Ms Kerstin, yfl, Evangelical Church in Germany
Rusch, Rev. Dr William, mo, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Russell, Mrs Cheryl, fl, United Methodist Church [USA]
Rusterholz, Pfarrer Heinrich, mo, Swiss Protestant Church Federation
Saga, Mr Stewart, ml, Methodist Church in Malaysia
Sahade, Rev. Fr Ignacio, mo, (Argentina), Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of
Antioch and All the East [Syria]
Sahiouny, Rev. Dr Salim, mo, (Lebanon), National Evangelical Synod of Syria
and Lebanon
Sahuburua, Mr Zeth, ml, Protestant Church in the Moluccas (GPM) [Indonesia]
Sakaian, Miss Christine, yfl, (Australia), Armenian Apostolic Church (Etchmiad-
zin) [USSR]
Salamate, Rev. Eldad, mo. Evangelical Church of Sangir Talaud (GMIST)
[Indonesia]
Samban, Prof. Dr Jacob, ml, Toraja Church [Indonesia]
Samuel, Archbishop Athanasius, mo, (USA), Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of
Antioch and All the East [Syria]
Sandelin, Mr Holger, yml, Church of Sweden
Sandiford, Ms Audrey, yfl, Anglican Church of Canada
306 Signs of the Spirit
Sano, Bishop Roy, mo, United Methodist Church [USA]
Sapina , Mr Miroslav, ml, (Austria), Serbian Orthodox Church [Yugoslavia]
Sasaujan, Mr Mihai-Simion, yml, Romanian Orthodox Church
Sauca, Rev. Prof. loan, mo, Romanian Orthodox Church
Schaad , Pastor Juan Pedro, mo, (Paraguay), Evangelical Church of the River
Plate [Argentina]
Schaefer, Pfarrer Hermann, mo, Evangelical Church in Germany
Scott, Dr Beverly, fl, American Baptist Churches in the USA
Scott, Mr Paul, ml, International Council of Community Churches [USA]
Scoutas, Mrs Patricia, fl, (Australia), Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
[Turkey]
Scouteris, Prof. Constantine, ml, Church of Greece
Seddoh, Mme Nenevi, fl, Evangelical Church of Togo
Seim, Dr Turid Karlsen, fl, Church of Norway
Semen, Rev. Prof. Petre, mo, Romanian Orthodox Church
Sens, Okr Dr Matthias, mo, Federation of Evangelical Churches [Germany]
Serapion, Bishop, mo, Coptic Orthodox Church [Egypt]
Sergei of Solnechnogorsk, Archbishop, mo, (Switzerland), Russian Orthodox
Church
Serote, Bishop Ntwampe, mo, (South Africa), Evangelical Lutheran Church in
Southern Africa
Shahbazian, Prof. Parguev, ml, Armenian Apostolic Church (Etchmiadzin)
[USSR]
Shava, Rev. Naison, mo, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe
Shen Yi-Fan, Bishop, mo, China Christian Council
Shenouda, His Holiness Pope, mo, Coptic Orthodox Church [Egypt]
Shenouda, Rev. Fr Antonious Thabit, mo, (UK), Coptic Orthodox Church
[Egypt]
Sherry, Rev. Dr Paul, mo, United Church of Christ [USA]
Shiolashvili, Rev. Fr David, mo, Georgian Orthodox Church [USSR]
Shirr as, Ms Rachel, yfl, Church of England
Shotwell, Rev. J. Ralph, mo, International Council of Community Churches
[USA]
Siahaan, Rev. Oberlin, mo, Christian Protestant Church in Indonesia (GKPI)
Sieunarine, Rt Rev. Everson, mo, (Trinidad), Presbyterian Church in Trinidad
and Tobago
Silalahi, Mrs Ribur, fl, Indonesian Christian Church (HKI)
Silitonga, Mrs S. Ame, fl, Batak Protestant Christian Church (HKBP) [Indonesia]
Silk, Ven. Robert, mo, Church of England
Simangunsong, Rev. Harlen, mo, Indonesian Christian Church (HKI)
Simic, Prof. Pribislav, mo, Serbian Orthodox Church [Yugoslavia]
Sinulingga, Rev. Musa, mo, Karo Batak Protestant Church (GBKP) [Indonesia]
Siratt, Mr Sabam, ml, Batak Protestant Christian Church (HKBP) [Indonesia]
Sjoberg, Bishop Donald, mo, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
Additional Documents 307
Skarrie Elmquist, Mrs Marie, fl, Mission Covenant Church of Sweden
Skulason, Rt Rev. Olafur, mo, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland
Sliwa, Metropolitan Mar Gewargis, mo, (Iraq), Apostolic Catholic Assyrian
Church of the East [Iraq]
Smith-Cameron, Rev. Canon Ivor, mo, Church of England
Soedjatmoko, Mrs Sri Winarti, fl, East Java Christian Church (GKJW)
[Indonesia]
Sommers , Rev. Dr Gordon, mo, Moravian Church, USA (Northern Province)
Soone, Dean Einar, mo, Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church [USSR]
Soplantila, Rev. Abraham, mo, Protestant Church in the Moluccas (GPM)
[Indonesia]
Sqrensen, Ms Louise, yfl, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark
Souchon , Mme Cecile, fl, Reformed Church of France
Speaks, Mrs Janie, fl, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church [USA]
Speranskaya, Ms Helena, fl, Russian Orthodox Church
Stanovsky, Rev. Elaine, fo, United Methodist Church [USA]
Stefanides, Rev. Nikolaos, mo, Greek Evangelical Church
Steffer, Rev. Dr Robert, mo, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) [Canada]
Stepanek, Bishop Vratislav, mo, Czechoslovak Hussite Church
Stepanov, Rev. Fr Vladislav, ml, Russian Orthodox Church
Stockigt, Pastorin Beate, fo, Federation of Evangelical Churches [Germany]
Stonawski, Bischof Wilhelm, mo, Silesian Evangelical Church- Augsburg Confes¬
sion [CSFR]
Straw, Rev. Gordon, mo, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Striegnitz, Herr Meinfried, ml, Evangelical Church in Germany
Sturm, Superintendent Herwig, mo, Evangelical Church- Augsburg and Helvetic
Confessions [Austria]
Stylianos, Archbishop Dr, mo, (Australia), Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constan¬
tinople [Turkey]
Sumbayak, Mr Harrys, yml, Simalungun Protestant Christian Church (GKPS)
[Indonesia]
Supit, Dr Bert, ml, Christian Evangelical Church in Minahasa (GMIM)
[Indonesia]
Suvarska, Prof. Eva, fl, Orthodox Church of Czechoslovakia
Suvarsky, Protopresbyter Jaroslav, mo, Orthodox Church of Czechoslovakia
Swinson, Mrs Margaret, fl. Church of England
Szabo, Rev. Mrs Marianna, fo, Lutheran Church in Hungary
Szarek, Okr Jan, mo, Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Poland
Szebik, Bishop Imre, mo, Lutheran Church in Hungary
Tabart, Dr Jill, fl. Uniting Church in Australia
Taburimai, Rev. Koae, mo, Kiribati Protestant Church
Tagoilelagi, Mrs Iolesina, fl, (New Zealand), Congregational Christian Church in
Samoa
Talbert, Bishop Melvin, mo, United Methodist Church [USA]
308 Signs of the Spirit
Talbot , Bishop Frederick, mo, (Virgin Islands USA), African Methodist Epis¬
copal Church [USA]
Talbot , Dr Sylvia, fl, (Virgin Islands USA), African Methodist Episcopal Church
[USA]
Tallie, Ms Patrina, yfl, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) [USA]
Tanielu, Rev. Laau, mo, Congregational Christian Church in Samoa
Tapia Gleisner, Sra Marcela, yfl, Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Chile
Tarasar, Dr Constance, fl, Orthodox Church in America
Tate, Mrs Hazel, fl, Progressive National Baptist Convention Inc. [USA]
Taufatofua, Rev. Sela, fo, Methodist Church in Tonga
Taylor, Mr Victor, ml, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church [USA]
Taylor, Rev. Walter, ymo, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) [USA]
Teklehaimanot, Rev. W/Giorgis, mo, Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane
Yesus [Ethiopia]
Telaumbanua, Mr Tuhoni, ml, Nias Protestant Christian Church (BNKP)
[Indonesia]
Terefe, Ato Haddis, ml, Ethiopian Orthodox Church
Tetelepta, Dr Hesina, fl, Protestant Church in the Moluccas (GPM) [Indonesia]
Thawley, Rev. Michael, mo, Presbyterian Church of New Zealand
Theodoros of Kyrini, Bishop, mo, (USSR), Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of
Alexandria and All Africa [Egypt]
Thomas, Prof. Mary, fl, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church [India]
Thompson, Rev. Kenneth, mo, (Australia), Methodist Church in Ireland
Thompson, Ms Kristine, yfl, Presbyterian Church (USA)
Tillmann, Mrs Norma, fl, Evangelical Church of Lutheran Confession [Brazil]
Timotheos, H.G. Archbishop, mo, Ethiopian Orthodox Church
Timotheos of Kerkyra, Metropolitan, mo, Church of Greece
Ting, Bishop K.H., mo, China Christian Council
Tobing, Mrs Alida, fl, Batak Protestant Christian Church (HKBP) [Indonesia]
Tobing, Dr Victor, ml, Christian Protestant Church in Indonesia (GKPI)
Tokes, Bishop Laszlo, mo, Reformed Church of Romania
Tolentino, Ms Joy, yfl, (Philippines), United Methodist Church [USA]
Toth, Bishop Dr Karoly, mo, Reformed Church in Hungary
Totomarovario, Mme Laurette, fl, (Madagascar), Church of the Province of the
Indian Ocean
Toy, Rev. Fran, fo, Episcopal Church [USA]
Trenaman, Ms Dianne, yfl. Uniting Church in Australia
Truhachev, Rev. Fr Sergej, mo, Russian Orthodox Church
Tsetsis, Very Rev. Dr Georges, mo, (Switzerland), Ecumenical Patriarchate of
Constantinople [Turkey]
Tshibulenu, Pasteur Sakayimbo, mo, Mennonite Community [Zaire]
Tshihamba, Rev. Dr Mukome, mo, Presbyterian Community [Zaire]
Tuomi, Ms Helgma, fl, Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Finland
Turner, Rev. Dr Eugene, mo, Presbyterian Church (USA)
Additional Documents 309
Turner, Mrs Rua, fl, Methodist Church of New Zealand
Tveter, Ms Anne, yfl, Church of Norway
Twagirayesu, Pasteur Michel, mo, Presbyterian Church of Rwanda
Udo, Rev. Okokon, mo, Presbyterian Church of Nigeria
Um, Ms Mary, fl, Korean Methodist Church
Urban, Frau Ursula, fl, Evangelical Church in Germany
Vadic of Srem, Bishop Vasilije, mo, Serbian Orthodox Church [Yugoslavia]
Valent, Pfarrer Jan, mo, Slovak Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession
in Yugoslavia
Van Ee, Mr Daniel, yml, Netherlands Reformed Church
Varghese, Mr Varghese, yml, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church [India]
Varipatis, Deacon Constantine, mo, (Australia), Church of Cyprus
Vasili, Dr Nick, ml, (Australia), Church of Cyprus
Vasquez, Sra Denise, fl, (Puerto Rico), Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Veem, Ms Katarina, fl, (Sweden), Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church
[Canada]
Viczian, Rev. Dr Janos, mo, Baptist Union of Elungary
Vidal, Dr Daniel, mo, Spanish Evangelical Church
Vikstrom, Archbishop Dr John, mo, Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Finland
Vbros, Rev. Eva, fo, Reformed Church in Hungary
Vogelmann, Mme le pasteur Rose, fo, Episcopal Baptist Community [Zaire]
Vogt, Ms Franziska, yfl, Old Catholic Church of Switzerland
Voicu, Archdeacon Dr Constantin, mo, Romanian Orthodox Church
Voksb, Mr Per, ml, Church of Norway
Vollprecht, Pfarrer Frieder, mo, Moravian Church, Hermhut
[Germany]
Von Loewenich, Oberkirchenrat Hermann, mo, Evangelical Church in Germany
Voumina, Monsieur Guillaume, ml, Evangelical Church of the Congo
Vun, Rev. Cheong-Fui, mo, (Malaysia), Church of England
Wahono, Rev. Prof. S. Wismoady, mo, East Java Christian Church (GKJW)
[Indonesia]
Walker-Smith, Rev. Angelique, fo, National Baptist Convention USA Inc.
Walters, Rev. Muru, mo, Church of the Province of New Zealand
Waltschanow , Prof. Slawtscho, ml, Bulgarian Orthodox Church
Wang Hsien-Chih, Rev. Dr, mo, (Taiwan), Episcopal Church [USA]
Waters, Rev. Robert, mo, Congregational Union of Scotland
Watley, Rev. Dr William, mo, African Methodist Episcopal Church [USA]
Weber, Herr Jurgen, ml, Evangelical Church in Germany
Weber, Frau Sibylle, yfl, Federation of Evangelical Churches [Germany]
Webster, Ms Alison, yfl, Methodist Church [UK]
Weerasuriya, Ven. Coultas, mo, Church of Ceylon
Weiss, Rev. Dr Daniel, mo, American Baptist Churches in the USA
Welch, Rev. Elizabeth, fo, United Reformed Church in the UK
Wennes, Bishop Howard, mo, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
310 Signs of the Spirit
Werkstrom, Archbishop Bertil, mo, Church of Sweden
Werner , Pfarrer Dietrich, mo, Evangelical Church in Germany
Westra, Drs Aukje, fl, Reformed Churches in the Netherlands
Wickramasinghe, Ms Lydia, yfl. Church of Ceylon
Widmann, Prof. Peter, mo, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark
Williams, Mrs Tungane, fl. Cook Islands Christian Church
Willie, Rev. David, mo, Methodist Church [UK]
Wilson, Obispo John, mo, Moravian Church in Nicaragua
Wolde Eyesus, Dr Markos, mo, Ethiopian Orthodox Church
Woldeyes, Prof. Asrat, ml, Ethiopian Orthodox Church
Wood, Rev. Dr D’Arcy, mo, Uniting Church in Australia
Woods, Mr Derick, ml, Moravian Church in Great Britain and Ireland
Wuwungan, Rev. Dr O.E., mo, Protestant Church in Indonesia
Yacoub, Rev. Kamal Youssef, mo, Synod of the Nile of the Evangelical Church
[Egypt]
Yando, Pasteur Emmanuel, mo, Protestant Methodist Church [Ivory Coast]
Yannoulatos, Bishop Anastasios, mo, (Kenya), Church of Greece
Yesehaq, H.G. Archbishop, mo, (USA), Ethiopian Orthodox Church
Youmshajekian, Rev. Krikor, mo, Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches
[Lebanon]
Yung Kok-Kwong, Rev., mo, Church of Christ in China, Hong Kong Council
Zabala, Rt Rev. Artemio, mo, Philippine Episcopal Church
Zacharias Mar Theophilos, Bishop, mo, Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar
[India]
Zahirsky, Mrs Valerie, fl, Orthodox Church in America
Zaia, Bishop Joseph, mo, (Australia), Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the
East [Iraq]
Zamen, Dr Mrs Grace, fl, Church of North India
Zaw Yaw, Rev. M., mo, Myanmar Baptist Convention
Zerihun, Archpriest Teshoma, mo, Ethiopian Orthodox Church
Zverev, Rev. Nikolai, mo, Evangelical Christian Baptist Union of the USSR
DELEGATED REPRESENTATIVES
OF ASSOCIATE MEMBER CHURCHES
Akhura, Rev. Levi, mo, African Church of the Holy Spirit [Kenya]
Blake, Sr Jorge, ml, Church of the Disciples of Christ [Argentina]
Brandon Gonzalez, Sra Adriana, fl, Evangelical Methodist Church [Uruguay]
Diaz, Obispo Roberto, mo, Evangelical Methodist Church [Costa Rica]
Gnadt, Obispo Hellmut, mo, Methodist Church of Chile
Gomez, Obispo Medardo, mo, Salvadorean Lutheran Synod
Guarna, Pastor Severio, mo, Evangelical Baptist Union of Italy
Additional Documents 311
Harahap, Bishop Ginda, mo, Christian Protestant Angkola Church (GKPA)
[Indonesia]
Huacani Nina, Obispo Carlos, mo, Evangelical Methodist Church in Bolivia
Kim Hyung Shik, Rev., mo, Korean Christian Church in Japan
Loayza, Pastor German, mo, Bolivian Evangelical Lutheran Church
Mendez , Rev. Hector, mo, Presbyterian Reformed Church in Cuba
Mondal , Rt Rev. Barnabas, mo, Church of Bangladesh
Salvador , Pastor Jose da Silveira, mo, Evangelical Presbyterian Church of
Portugal
Sanchez, Pastor Carlos, mo, Baptist Association of El Salvador
Santos, Rev. Cleves Emerich dos, mo, United Presbyterian Church [Brazil]
Sardihas, Sr Manuel, ml, Methodist Church in Cuba
Sipoto, Pastor Jaime, mo, Reformed Church of Equatorial Guinea
Soares, Dr Fernando, mo, Lusitanian Catholic- Apostolic Evangelical Church
[Portugal]
Veira, Pastor Ricardo, mo, United Evangelical Lutheran Church [Argentina]
Waspada, Bishop Dr I Ketut, mo, Protestant Christian Church in Bali (GKPB)
[Indonesia]
MEMBERS OF THE RETIRING CENTRAL COMMITTEE
Abayasekera, Ms Annathaie, fl. Church of Ceylon
Athanasios of Beni-Souef, Archbishop, mo, Coptic Orthodox Church (Egypt]
Heyward, Rt Rev. Oliver, mo, Anglican Church of Australia
Jesudasan, Rt Rev. Isaiah, mo, Church of South India
Jornod, Pasteur Jean-Pierre, mo, Swiss Protestant Church Federation
Julkiree, Ms Boonmee, fl. Church of Christ in Thailand
Kaddu, Mrs Joyce, fl, Church of Uganda
Kim Choon Young, Rev. Dr, mo, Korean Methodist Church
Kruse, Bischof Dr Martin, mo, Evangelical Church in Germany
McCloud, Rev. Dr J. Oscar, mo, Presbyterian Church (USA)
Newell, Kara, fo, Friends United Meeting [USA]
Post, Rev. Dr Avery, mo, United Church of Christ [USA]
Richardson, Rev. John E., mo, Methodist Church [UK]
Rogers, Rev. Dr James, mo. Church of Scotland
Russell, Rt Rev. Philip, mo, (South Africa), Church of the Province of Southern
Africa
Sabug, Jr, Mr Fructuoso, ml, Philippine Independent Church
Seah, Rev. Dr Ingram, mo, Presbyterian Church in Taiwan
Skuse, Ms Jean, fl, Uniting Church in Australia
Sowunmi, Prof. Mrs Adebisi, fl, Church of Nigeria
Thorogood, Rev. Bernard, mo, United Reformed Church in the UK
312 Signs of the Spirit
Tolen, Dr Aaron, ml, Presbyterian Church of Cameroon
Van der Veen-Schenkeveld, Rev. Marja, fo, Reformed Churches in the Nether¬
lands
DELEGATED REPRESENTATIVES
OF WCC ASSOCIATE COUNCILS
AND OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
Abraham-Williams , Rev. Gethin, mo, Cytun-Churches Together in Wales
Ada , Pasteur Samuel, mo, Evangelical Community for Apostolic Action
Anderson , Rev. Dr Donald, mo, Anglican Consultative Council
Banks, Dr Trevor, ml, Disciples Ecumenical Consultative Council
Basdekis, Dr Athanasios, ml, Council of Christian Churches, Germany
Beach, Dr Bert, mo, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
Bisnauth, Rev. Dale, mo, Caribbean Conference of Churches
Bleakley, Rt Hon. David, ml, Irish Council of Churches
Boll, Rev. Godofredo, mo, National Council of Christian Churches in Brazil
Boseto, Bishop Leslie, mo, Pacific Conference of Churches
Braidwood, Mr Norman, ml, World Alliance of YMCAs
Brown, Dr Stuart, ml, Canadian Council of Churches
Carino, Dr Feliciano, mo, National Council of Churches in the Philippines
Chikane, Rev. Dr Frank, mo, South African Council of Churches
Chipenda, Rev. Jose, mo, All Africa Conference of Churches
Chipesse, Rev. Augusto, mo, Angolan Council of Evangelical Churches
Craig, Rev. Maxwell, mo, Action of Churches Together in Scotland
Dartey, Rev. David, mo, Christian Council of Ghana
Delteil, Monsieur Jean-Fran^ois, ml, World Student Christian Federation
Fischer, Mr Jean, ml, Conference of European Churches
Forsbeck, Rev. Rune, mo, Swedish Ecumenical Council
Gape, Mr Churchill, ml, Botswana Christian Council
Gayle, Mrs Rubye, fl, Jamaica Council of Churches
George, Mr Varghese, ml. Council of Churches of Malaysia
Gill, Rev. David, mo, Australian Council of Churches
Guy, Lt-Col. David, mo, The Salvation Army
Hale, Dr Joe, mo, World Methodist Council
Hamilton, Mr James, ml, National Council of Churches USA
Hesse Steel, Mrs Elaine, fl, World YWCA
Horsholt Pedersen, Mrs Sigrid, fl, Ecumenical Council of Denmark
Ingelstam, Mrs Margareta, fl, International Fellowship of Reconciliation
Jarjour, Rev. Dr Riad, mo, Middle East Council of Churches
Kamara, Mr A.F., ml. United Christian Council of Sierra Leone
Kerepia, Mrs Anne, fl, Melanesian Council of Churches
Additional Documents 313
Kutjok, Rev. Ezekiel, mo, Sudan Council of Churches
Kwon Ho Kyung, Rev., mo, National Council of Churches in Korea
Lidgett, Mrs Helen, fl, Conference for World Mission
Lulias, Very Rev. Fr Nikitas, mo, Syndesmos
Lumbama, Rev. Elijah, mo, Christian Council of Zambia
Lungmuana , Rev. Khawlhring, mo, National Council of Churches in India
Meissner, Okr Herbert, mo, Protestant Association for World Mission in
Germany
Moyer, Rev. John, mo, Frontier Internship in Mission
Munroe, Ms Judy, fl, Ecumenical Development Cooperative Society
Ondra, Mr Jaroslav, ml, Czechoslovak Ecumenical Council
Opocensky, Rev. Dr Milan, mo, World Alliance of Reformed Churches
Pattiasina, Rev. Joseph, mo, Communion of Churches in Indonesia
Peharanda, Mr Miguel, ml, International Christian Youth Exchange
Peter, Mrs Navamani, fl. International Committee for World Day of Prayer
Prasad, Rev. Andrew, mo, Council for World Mission
Reardon, Rev. John, mo, Council of Churches in Britain and Ireland
Rusama, Rev. Dr Jaakko, mo, Finnish Ecumenical Council
Samuel, Bishop John, mo, Christian Conference of Asia
Saroia, Mr Yousaf, ml, National Council of Churches in Pakistan
Schlegel, Pfarrer Joachim, mo, Ecumenical Missionary Liaison Committee,
Germany
Schlosser, Frau Magdalena, fl, Swiss Protestant Missionary Council
Schmauch, Rev. W. Christoph, mo, Christian Peace Conference
Schmidt-Lauber, Prof. Dr Hans-Christoph, mo, Ecumenical Council of Churches
in Austria
Shejavali, Dr Abisai, mo, Council of Churches in Namibia
Siyachitema, Rt Rev. Jonathan, mo, Zimbabwe Council of Churches
Staalsett, Rev. Dr Gunnar, mo, Lutheran World Federation
Stephen, Rev. George, mo, National Christian Council of Sri Lanka
Svensson, Rev. Bertil, mo, Swedish Missionary Council
Tapuai, Rev. Fa’atauva’a, mo, National Council of Churches of American
Samoa
Thomas, David, ml, Friends World Committee for Consultation
Thomas, Rev. Dr Kenneth, mo, United Bible Societies
Tranda, Bischof Zdzislaw, mo, Polish Ecumenical Council
Tso Man-King, Rev. Dr, mo, Hong Kong Christian Council
Valle, Rev. Carlos, mo, World Association for Christian Communication
Van Butselaar, Dr Jan, mo, Netherlands Missionary Council
Van der Zee, Rev. Willem, mo, Council of Churches in the Netherlands
Van Houten, Dr Richard, ml. Reformed Ecumenical Council
Vose, Dr Noel, mo, Baptist World Alliance
Williamson, Rev. Dr Raymond, mo, Australian Council of Churches/Mission
Win Tin, Rev., mo, Myanmar Council of Churches
314 Signs of the Spirit
DELEGATED OBSERVERS
Bouwen MAFR, Rev. Fr Frans, mo, (Jerusalem), Roman Catholic Church
Clark , Rt Rev. Alan, mo, (UK), Roman Catholic Church
*Coste, Rev. Pere Rene, mo, (France), Roman Catholic Church
Cross, Rev. Dr Peter, mo, (Australia), Roman Catholic Church
D souza, Bishop Patrick, mo, (India), Roman Catholic Church
Fitzgerald, Rev. Fr Michael, mo, (Vatican), Roman Catholic Church
Ganaka, Bishop Gabriel, mo, (Nigeria), Roman Catholic Church
Geernaert, Sister Donna, fl, (Canada), Roman Catholic Church
Goldie, Dr Rosemary, fl, (Italy), Roman Catholic Church
Heather, Bishop Bede, mo, (Australia), Roman Catholic Church
Jenkins CSB, Sister Margaret, fl, (Australia), Roman Catholic Church
Johnston , Dr Robert, mo, (USA), The Evangelical Covenant Church
Klein, Prof. Dr Aloys, mo, (Germany), Roman Catholic Church
*Koxvnacki, Rev. Fr Robert, mo, (USA), Roman Catholic Church
Lang MM, Rev. Fr Joseph, mo, (USA), Roman Catholic Church
Martin, Msgr Diarmuid, mo, (Vatican), Roman Catholic Church
McDonnell OSB, Rev. Fr Kilian, mo, (USA), Roman Catholic Church
Meeking, Rt Rev. Basil, mo, (New Zealand), Roman Catholic Church
Mutiso-Mbinda, Msgr John, mo, (Vatican), Roman Catholic Church
Neefjes OFM, Fr Felix, mo, (Brazil), Roman Catholic Church
Nos sol. Bishop Alfons, mo, (Poland), Roman Catholic Church
Putney, Rev. Fr Michael, mo, (Australia), Roman Catholic Church
Radano, Msgr John, mo, (Vatican), Roman Catholic Church
Sharry, Sister Lenore, fl, (Australia), Roman Catholic Church
Sullivan, Miss Denise, fl, (Australia), Roman Catholic Church
Tillard OP, Rev. Fr Jean, mo, (Canada), Roman Catholic Church
OBSERVERS
Abraham, Rev. Dr K.C., mo, Ecumenical Association of Third World Theolo¬
gians
Adcock, Rev. Neil, mo, Baptist World Alliance
Ajuoga, Bishop Dr Matthew, mo, Organization of African Instituted Churches
Apple, Rabbi Raymond, ml, International Jewish Committee for Inter-religious
Consultation
Aschmann, Pfarrer Hanspeter, mo, Swiss Protestant Church Federation
Askola, Rev. Irja, fo, Ecumenical Association of Academies and Laity Centres in
Europe
*Adviser to the RC delegation
Additional Documents 315
Avi, Rev. Dick, mo, Melanesian Association of Theological Schools
Azariah, Rt Rev. Masilamani, mo, Church of South India
Blanket , Rev. Edmund, mo, Aboriginal and Islander Commission, Australia
Blow, Mr Reg, ml, Aboriginal and Islander Commission, Australia
Blow, Mrs Walda, fl, Aboriginal and Islander Commission, Australia
Boer, Rev. Drs Bert, mo, Commission on Interchurch Aid of the Netherlands
Reformed Church
Bokeleale, Mgr Itofo, mo, Church of Christ in Zaire
Brand, Dr Eugene, mo, Lutheran World Federation
Brinkman, Dr Martien, mo, Reformed Churches in the Netherlands
Broome, Mrs Carol, fl, Aboriginal and Islander Commission, Australia
Broome, Rev. David, mo, Aboriginal and Islander Commission, Australia
Brunson, Mr Douglas, ml, Ecumenical Development Cooperative Society
Buti, Rev. Sam, mo, Dutch Reformed Church in Africa, South Africa
Campbell, Mr Douglas, ml, Amnesty International
Cantell, Rev. Dr Risto, mo, Evangelical -Lutheran Church of Finland
Christiaens SJ, Rev. Pere Louis, mo, International Labour Office
Coenen, Okr Dr Lothar, mo, Evangelical Church in Germany
Dayton, Dr Donald, ml, Wesleyan Theological Society, USA
De Waard, Dr Hendrik, mo, Reformed Ecumenical Council
Erichs en, Rev. Jan Arnold, mo, Norwegian Church Aid
Fernando, Mr Marshal, ml, World Student Christian Federation
Finau SM, Bishop Patelisio, mo, Pacific Conference of Churches
Flynn, Mr Sonny, ml, Aboriginal and Islander Commission, Australia
Forker, Rev. Wilbert, mo, The Templeton Foundation
Fourmile, Fr Lloyd, mo, Aboriginal and Islander Commission, Australia
Frankovits, Mr Andre, ml, Amnesty International
Freychet, Pasteur Michel, mo, Protestant Federation of France
Frieling, Prof. Dr Reinhard, mo, Evangelical Working Group on Comparative
Religions in Europe
Fullerton, Rev. Dr Gordon, mo, Presbyterian Church of Australia
Gitari, Bishop David, mo, Partnership in Mission International
Gnavi, Rev. Fr Marco, mo, Community of San Egidio, Italy
Godoy Fernandez, Pastor Daniel, mo, Christian Fellowship of Churches in Chile
Goodman, Mrs Maureen, fl, Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University
Guest, Mr Kenneth, ml, United Methodist Church, USA
Hally, Fr Cyril, mo, Pax Christi International
Hardung, Dekan Wolf-Dietrich, mo, Ohne Riistung Leben, Germany
Heyns, Prof. Johan, mo, Dutch Reformed Church, South Africa
Hjerrild, Rev. Ane, fo, Church of Denmark
Hoath, Mr Colin, ml, Anglican Church of Canada/Primate’s Fund
Houtepen, Prof. Dr Anton, ml, Interuniversity Institute for Missiological
Research
Ibarra, Dr Angel, ml, Salvadorean Lutheran Synod
316 Signs of the Spirit
Irvine, Dr Graeme, mo, World Vision International
Jacobs, Mr Pio, ml, Maori Council of Churches, Aotearoa/New Zealand
James, Rev. Canon Graham, mo, Church of England
Janda, Mrs Joyce, fl. Ecumenical Women’s Group, Geneva
Joseph, Rev. Dr Ipe, mo, All India Sunday School Association
Katoneene, Rev. Jonah, mo, Association of Christian Lay Centres in Africa
Kelie, Ms Anna, fl, Curacao Council of Churches
Kim Hyong Dok, Mr, ml, Korean Christians Federation
Kim Yoo Sook, Mrs, fl, Asian Church Women’s Conference
Klabu, Mr Roland, ml, Anglican Diocese of Kuching, Malaysia
Ko Gi Jun, Mr, ml, Korean Christians Federation
Kobia, Rev. Samuel, mo, National Council of Churches of Kenya
Kxvong, Rt Rev. Dr Peter, mo, Anglican Diocese of Hong Kong and Macao
Kyle, Ms Erica, fl, Aboriginal and Islander Commission, Australia
Lancaster, Rev. Lewis, mo, Presbyterian Church (USA)
Lapp, Dr John, ml, Mennonite Central Committee
Lemire, Frere Emile, ml, Taize Community
Li Chon Min, Mr, ml, Korean Christians Federation
Logan, Rev. Dr Paul, mo, Presbyterian Church of Australia
Luyckx, Dr Marc, ml, Commission of the European Communities
Lythe, Mrs Patricia, fl, Conference of Churches in Aotearoa/New Zealand
Makambwe , Ven. Francis, mo, Mindolo Ecumenical Foundation, Zambia
Marcal, Rev. Arlindo, mo, Christian Church in East Timor
Mathaha, Mrs Idelette, fl, Christian Council of Lesotho
McGregor, Archdeacon Marjorie, fl, Diakonia
McNanghton, Rev. Dr Robert, mo, The Evangelical Covenant Church
Meo, Rev. Dr Jovili, mo, South Pacific Association of Theological Schools
Mercado, Mrs Nellie, fl, Association of Christian Institutes for Social Concern in
Asia
Mills, Dr Howard, mo, Churches Council on Theological Education, Canada
Mofokeng, Rev. Kenosi, fo, African Spiritual Churches Association, South
Africa
Moss, Mrs Cath, fl, Ecumenical Youth Council in Europe
Motu’ahala, Mr Sione, ml, Pacific Conference of Churches
Moyo, Dr Ambrose, mo, Conference of African Theological Institutions
Nafzger, Rev. Samuel, mo, Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod, USA
Neville, Mr William, ml, Pax Romana
Norgren, Rev. Dr William, mo, Episcopal Church, USA
Ocanto Sanchez, Sra Edna, fl, World Student Christian Federation
Oke Esono, Pastor Samuel, mo, Reformed Church of Equatorial Guinea
Olaitan, Rev. Canon Samuel, mo, Chapel of the Healing Cross, Nigeria
Om Yong Son, Mr, ml, Korean Christians Federation
Oskam , Mr Cees, ml, Interchurch Coordination Committee for Development
Projects, Netherlands
Additional Documents 317
Otte, Prof. Dr Klaus, ml, Swiss Protestant Church Federation
Platt en, Rev. Canon Stephen, mo, Church of England
Potgieter, Prof. Pieter, mo, Dutch Reformed Church, South Africa
Potter , Mr David, ml, World Congress of Faiths
Quintero Perez , Mr Manuel, ml, Ecumenical Global Gathering of Youth and
Students
Raiser, Dr Elisabeth, fl, Ecumenical Forum of European Christian Women
Ramcharan, Mr Michael, ml. Collaboration for Ecumenical Planning and Action
in the Caribbean
Reitzel, Pasteur Hans Ulrich, mo, Council of Churches of Morocco
Rhee, Rev. Dr Syngman, mo, National Council of Churches USA
Rocha Souza, Sr Enilson, ml, Ecumenical Service Commission, Brazil
Ruhiu, Mrs Alice, fl, World Student Christian Federation
Samuel, Canon Dr Vinay, mo, Partnership in Mission International
Scambia, Dr Francesca, yfl, Community of San Egidio, Italy
Schnyder, Dr Klaus, ml, Uniapac
Schoneveld, Dr Jacobus, mo, International Council of Christians and Jews
Schulz, Dr William, ml, Unitarian Universalist Association
Senituli, Mr Lopeti, ml, Pacific Concerns Resource Centre
Serrano, Rev. Luis, mo, Diaconia, El Salvador
Sevaaetasi, Rev. Leanavaotaua, mo, Congregational Christian Church in Ameri¬
can Samoa
Silva, Pastor Orlando, mo, “Brazil for Christ”
Simon, Rev. Dr Christopher, mo, Sharing of Ministries Abroad
Sinnemaki, Rev. Maunu, mo, Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Finland
Spencer, Rev. Robert, mo, North American Retreat Directors Association
Srisang, Dr Koson, ml, Ecumenical Coalition on Third World Tourism
Stanford, Mrs Delphine, fl, Aboriginal and Islander Commission, Australia
Starr, Dr William, mo, Young Life
Tabbernee, Rev. Dr William, mo, Australia and New Zealand Association of
Theological Associations
Takenaka, Prof. Masao, mo, Asian Christian Art Association
Tanner, Dr Mary, fl, Church of England
Tesfay-Musa, Ms Elsa, fl, Anglican Church of Canada
Tetteh, Rev. Rachel, fo, All Africa Conference of Churches
Thompson, Mr William, ml, World Conference on Religion and Peace
Thomsen, Mr Jprgen, ml, Ecumenical Council of Denmark
Thomsen, Rev. Jens Jprgen, mo, Danchurchaid, Denmark
Traer, Rev. Robert, mo, International Association for Religious Freedom
Traitler, Dr Reinhild, fl, Ecumenical Forum of European Christian Women
Tu’uholoaki, Rev. Mrs Ming-ya, fo, World Conference of Associations of
Theological Institutions
Van Baak, Rev. Edward, mo, Christian Reformed Church, USA
Van Eck, Dr Arthur, mo, National Council of Churches USA
318 Signs of the Spirit
Veres-Kovacs, Deputy Bishop Attila, mo, Reformed Church of Romania
Vischer , Prof. Lukas, mo, Swiss Protestant Church Federation
Wakowako Mr Are, ml, Fiji Council of Churches
Wiebusch, Rev. Robert, mo, Lutheran Church of Australia
Wikstrom, Rev. Lester, mo, Church of Sweden
Wilkens, Oberkirchenrat Klaus, mo, Evangelical Church in Germany
Wilson, Rev. Dr Henry, mo, World Alliance of Reformed Churches
Wilson, Rev. Nancy, fo. Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community
Churches, USA
Winckler, Dr Michael, ml, Lutheran Church of Schaumburg-Lippe, Germany
Yeow Choo Lak, Rev. Dr, mo, Association for Theological Education in South-
East Asia
Zimmermann, Pfarrer Jean, mo, World Evangelical Fellowship
Zomer, Mr Henk, ml, Dutch Interchurch Aid
GUESTS
Abrecht, Rev. Dr Paul, mo, (Switzerland), American Baptist Churches in the
USA
Abubakar, Dr Carmen, fl, (Philippines), Muslim
Ajitsingh, Mrs Charanjit, fl, (UK), Sikh
Bath, Commissioner Robert, mo, (Australia), The Salvation Army
Brash, Rev. Dr Alan, mo, Presbyterian Church of New Zealand
Broitman, Ms Caryn, fl, (USA), Jewish
Carroll, Archbishop Francis, mo, (Australia), Roman Catholic Church
Cassidy, Archbishop Edward, mo, (Vatican), Roman Catholic Church
Courtney, Joan, fl, (Australia), Religious Society of Friends
Denton, Mr John, ml, Anglican Church of Australia
Dowling, Rt Rev. Owen, mo, Anglican Church of Australia
Emilianos of Sylibria, Metropolitan, mo, (Switzerland), Ecumenical Patriarchate
[Turkey]
Engel, Rev. Dr Frank, mo, Uniting Church in Australia
Garrett, Rev. Dr John, mo, (Fiji), Uniting Church in Australia
Henderson, Rev. Gregor, mo, Uniting Church in Australia
Hill, Lt.-Col. Arthur, mo, (Australia), The Salvation Army
Jiagge, Mrs Justice Annie, fl, Evangelical Presbyterian Church [Ghana]
Kinloch, Dr Hector, ml, (Australia), Religious Society of Friends
Leonidas, Archimandrite, mo, (Australia), Ecumenical Patriarchate [Turkey]
Mahinda, Ven. Deegalle, mo, (USA), Buddhist
Maury, Pasteur Jacques, mo, Reformed Church of France
Meyer, Rabbi Dr Marshall, mo, (USA), Jewish
Mi'guez Bonino, Dr Jose, mo, Evangelical Methodist Church, Argentina
Additional Documents 319
Miyake , Rev. Michio, mo, (Japan), Shinto
Oloyede, Prof. Is-Haq, ml, (Nigeria), Muslim
Pagura, Obispo Federico, mo, Evangelical Methodist Church, Argentina
Pennybacker , Rev. Dr Albert M., mo, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) [USA]
Perkins, Rev. Harvey, mo, Uniting Church in Australia
Phillips, Deaconess Jean, fl, Uniting Church in Australia
Potter, Rev. Dr Philip, mo, (Germany), Methodist Church in the Caribbean and
the Americas
Rambachan, Dr Anantanand, ml, (USA), Hindu
Reeson, Rev. Ronald, mo, Uniting Church in Australia
Reeves, Most Rev. Sir Paul, mo, (USA), Church of the Province of New Zealand
Shanmugam, Dr Gangadaran, ml, (India), Hindu
Singh, Dr Mohinder, ml, (India), Sikh
Singh, Mr Ajit, ml, (UK), Sikh
Steicke, Rev. Dr Lance, mo, Lutheran Church of Australia
Stubs, Rt Rev. Alan, mo, Presbyterian Church of Australia
Tate, Senator Michael, ml, (Australia), Roman Catholic Church
Timotheos, Archbishop Aphrem Aboodi, mo, Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of
Antioch and All the East
Uchida, Mr Masataka, ml, (Japan), Buddhist (Rissho Kosei-kai)
Van der Bent, Rev. Ans, mo, (France), United Church of Christ, USA
Webb, Dr Pauline, fl, Methodist Church [UK]
Wilson, Sir Ronald, ml, Uniting Church in Australia
Woods, Archbishop Sir Frank, mo, Anglican Church of Australia
ADVISERS
Bam, Ms Brigalia, fl, (South Africa), Church of the Province of Southern Africa
Barbosa Dos Santos, Mr Jose Carlos, ml, (Brazil), Roman Catholic Church
Biakokoz, Dr Irena, yfl, Autocephalic Orthodox Church in Poland
Carmen, Mrs Andrea, fl, American Indian Traditional Religion
Chung Hyun Kyung, Prof. Dr Mrs, fl, Presbyterian Church in the Republic of
Korea
Cuambe, Mr Gaspar, ml, Free Methodist Church [Mozambique]
De Vries, Soeur Minke, fl, Swiss Protestant Church Federation
Deschner, Prof. John, mo, United Methodist Church [USA]
Dickinson, Prof. Richard, mo, United Church of Christ [USA]
Eck, Prof. Diana, fl, United Methodist Church [USA]
Esche, Mrs Ruth, fl, Presbyterian Church (USA)
Falconer, Rev. Alan, mo, (Ireland), Church of Scotland
Foulkes, Dra Irene, fl, Presbyterian Church in Costa Rica
Gillespie, Ms Judith, fl, Episcopal Church [USA]
Grant, Rev. Dr Jacquelyn, fo, African Methodist Episcopal Church [USA]
320 Signs of the Spirit
Gruber, Ms Pamela, fl, Congregational Union of Scotland
Hanson, Rev. Malcolm, mo, United Reformed Church in the UK
Harakas, Prof. Stanley, mo, (USA), Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
[Turkey]
Marling, Rev. Per, mo, Church of Sweden
Heryan, Rev. Miroslav, mo, Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren
Horner, Mrs Sue, fl, The Evangelical Covenant Church (USA)
Jenkins, Ms Henni, yfl, Church of the Province of New Zealand
Kahl, Dr Brigitte, fl. Federation of Evangelical Churches [Germany]
Kane CSP, Rev. Dr Thomas, mo, (USA), Roman Catholic Church
Keju- Johnson, Ms Darlene, fl, United Church of Christ in the Marshall Islands
Kim Yong-Bock, Rev. Dr, mo, Presbyterian Church of Korea
Kuzmic, Rev. Peter, mo, Evangelical Church of Yugoslavia
Kwok Pui-Lan, Dr, fl, Anglican Diocese of Hong Kong and Macao
Lee Ye Ja, Ms, fl, Presbyterian Church of Korea
Loh, Dr I-to, mo, (USA), Presbyterian Church in Taiwan
Manor ama, Ms Ruth, fl, Church of South India
Manougian, Rev. Fr Nourhan, mo, (USA), Armenian Apostolic Church (Etch-
miadzin) [USSR]
Maraschin, Dr Jaci, mo, Episcopal Church of Brazil
Marshall, Hon. Russell, mo, Methodist Church of New Zealand
McDonald, Hon. David, mo, United Church of Canada
McMahon, Rev. Dorothy, fo, Uniting Church in Australia
Me Master, Dr Belle Miller, fl, Presbyterian Church (USA)
Mendis, Mrs Priyanka, yfl, Church of Ceylon
Mkhatshwa, Rev. Fr Simangaliso, mo, (South Africa), Roman Catholic Church
Monteiro, Mrs Simei, fl, Methodist Church in Brazil
Mukarji, Dr Daleep, ml, Church of North India
Mxadana, Mr George, ml, (South Africa), Church of the Province of Southern
Africa
Niguidula, Rev. Lydia, fo, United Church of Christ in the Philippines
Padilla, Dr Rene, mo, Baptist Church [Argentina]
Raditapole, Dr Deborah, fl, Lesotho Evangelical Church
Rasmussen, Prof. Larry, ml, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Reeves, Rev. Kathy, fo, United Methodist Church [USA]
Reindorf, Mrs Dinah, fl, Methodist Church, Ghana
Ruiz Perez, Ms Brenda, fl, Baptist Convention of Nicaragua
Santa Ana, Prof. Dr Julio de, ml, Methodist Church in Brazil
Santana, Rev. Eunice, fo, (Puerto Rico), Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
[USA]
Schaal, Herr Dieter, ml, Federation of Evangelical Churches [Germany]
Sepulveda, Pastor Juan, mo, Pentecostal Mission Church [Chile]
She go g. Rev. Eric, mo. Church of England
Talapusi, Rev. Dr Faitala, mo, (Fiji), Congregational Christian Church in Samoa
Additional Documents 321
Tamaela, Rev. Christian, mo, Protestant Church in the Moluccas (GPM)
[Indonesia]
Tamez, Dr Elsa, fl, (Costa Rica), Methodist Church of Mexico
Taylor, Rev. Michael, mo, Baptist Union of Great Britain
Templeton , Mrs Elizabeth, fl, Church of Scotland
Tharakan , Dr K.M., ml, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church [India]
Tita, Mr Michael, ml, Romanian Orthodox Church
Trojan , Dr Jakub, mo, Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren
Vesin, Rev. Fr Milos, mo, (USA), Serbian Orthodox Church [Yugoslavia]
Wallis, Rev. Jim, mo, (USA), Sojourners
Weir, Rev. Dr Mary, fl, United Church of Canada
Williamson, Dr Roger, ml, Methodist Church [UK]
Wood, Rt Rev. Dr Wilfred, mo, Church of England
Wood, Rev. Bertrice, fo, United Church of Christ [USA]
Yabaki, Rev. Akuila, mo, (UK), Methodist Church in Fiji
Yeboah, Sister Yaa Biamah Florence, fl, Presbyterian Church of Ghana
Yongui-Massok, Mme Marie-Therese, fl, Presbyterian Church of Cameroon
Zaru, Jean, fl, (West Bank), Friends United Meeting [USA]
Zetto, Rev. Dr Jeffrey, mo, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
STEWARDS
Abu Ghazaleh, Mr Sami, yml, (West Bank), Evangelical Lutheran Church in the
Middle East
Abu-Absi, Mr Michael, yml, (USA), Roman Catholic Church
Adjaye, Ms Stella, yfl, Methodist Church, Ghana
Aguilar, Mr Jose, yml, Methodist Church of Mexico
Aitchison, Ms Julia, yfl. Church of Scotland
Algorta Baldeon, Mr Luis, yml, Methodist Church in Brazil
Andersson, Mr Bengt, yml, Church of Sweden
Angulo Cabrera, Mr Jose, yml, Christian Alliance Church of Colombia
Archibald, Mr Timothy, yml, Presbyterian Church in Canada
Awadzie, Mr Atsu, yml, (Togo), Roman Catholic Church
Baccaro, Mr Vagner, yml, Episcopal Church of Brazil
Backo, Ms Kerry, fl, Uniting Church in Australia
Barrel, Mr Laurence, yml, (Bangladesh), Roman Catholic Church
Batterham, Ms Alison, yfl, Anglican Church of Australia
Battle, Mr Michael, ml, Episcopal Church [USA]
Benyameen, Ms Genevieve, yfl, Coptic Orthodox Church [Egypt]
Beswick, Mr Ricky, ml, Uniting Church in Australia
Blazek, Mr Mojmir, mo. Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren
Calderon, Ms Alicia, yfl, (Germany), Church of the Brethren [USA]
322 Signs of the Spirit
Caldwell, Ms Lynn, yfl, United Church of Canada
Canty, Ms Genevieve, yfl, Uniting Church in Australia
Cardenas Alvarez, Ms Alejandra, fl, (Argentina), Presbyterian Church in Chile
Chang Yoon-Jae, Mr, ml, Presbyterian Church of Korea
Charles, Mr Philip, yml, (St Vincent), United Methodist Church [USA]
Chivers, Ms Claire, yfl, Anglican Church of Australia
Christmas, Ms Danielle, yfl, (St Kitts), Moravian Church, Eastern West Indies
Province
Clague, Ms Pauline, yfl, Uniting Church in Australia
Clarkson, Ms Sue, yfl, Uniting Church in Australia
Clausen, Ms Elisabeth, yfl, (Sweden), United Methodist Church [USA]
Cossa, Mr Azarias, yml, Presbyterian Church of Mozambique
Dabbagh, Ms Rouba, yfl, (Lebanon), Muslim
Darmaputera, Mr Arya, yml, Indonesian Christian Church (HKI) [Indonesia]
De Jesus, Mr Edgar, yml, (Philippines), United Methodist Church [USA]
De Lany, Mr Heath, yml, Anglican Church of Australia
De Silva, Mr Heshan, yml, Baptist Church [Sri Lanka]
De Souza Marques, Ms Deise, yfl, Methodist Church in Brazil
Debra, Mr Peter, ml, Lutheran Church in Guyana
Deibert-Dam, Ms Gaby, fl, Evangelical Church in Germany
Deville, Mr Adam, yml, Anglican Church of Canada
Dinarte Winter, Ms Gisela, yfl, Evangelical Methodist Church [Argentina]
Duta, Mr Florea, yml, Romanian Orthodox Church
Elia, Mr Elie, yml, (Australia), Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All
the East [Syria]
Euving, Ms Erica, yfl, Reformed Churches in the Netherlands
Fa’Alevao, Mr Leatulagi, ml, (Fiji), Congregational Christian Church in Samoa
Fallot, Ms Abigail, yfl, Reformed Church of France
Fanta, Mr Eskinder, yml, (USA), Ethiopian Orthodox Church
Fernando, Mr Udan, ml, Methodist Church [Sri Lanka]
Flynn, Ms Bee, fl, (Australia), Roman Catholic Church
Garcia, Ms Maria, yfl, Lutheran Church in Costa Rica
Gianelli, Mr Marcos, yml, Presbyterian Independent Church [Brazil]
Gondarra, Mr Alfred, ml, Uniting Church in Australia
Graham, Ms Kate, yfl, Uniting Church in Australia
Habulan, Ms Sylvia, fl, (Philippines), Roman Catholic Church
Halley, Mr Kirino, ml, (Fiji), Roman Catholic Church
Heider, Mr Martin, ml, Evangelical Church in Germany
Hernandez Navarro, Ms Maria, yfl. Baptist Church in El Salvador
Jacob, Mr Richard, yml, (Trinidad), Church in the Province of the West Indies
James, Ms Janice, yfl, Methodist Church [Netherlands Antilles]
Jara, Mr Trino, ml. Church of the Nazarene [Costa Rica]
Jennings, Ms Vivette, fl, (Jamaica), Church in the Province of the West Indies
Jeyakumar, Ms Sylvia, yfl. Church of South India
Additional Documents 323
Jonas sen, Ms Mari, yfl, Church of Norway
Karadaglis, Mr Demetrios, yml, Church of Greece
Karim, Mr Said, yml, (Ireland), Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All
the East [Syria]
Kazarian, Ms Lucy, fl, Armenian Apostolic Church (Cilicia) [Lebanon]
Kepreotes, Mr Dimitri, yml, (Australia), Church of Greece
Khokhar, Ms Shamila, yfl, Church of Pakistan
Kirkpatrick, Mr Nigel, yml, Church of Ireland
Kisanga, Mr Charles, ml, (Sudan), Roman Catholic Church
Ko Mei-Na, Ms, yfl, Presbyterian Church in Taiwan
Kreuter, Mr Jens, yml, Evangelical Church in Germany
Kuitse, Ms Jifke, yfl, General Mennonite Society [Netherlands]
Kusliawan, Ms Ligysari, yfl, Uniting Church in Australia
Kyomo, Mr Ipyana, ml, Moravian Church in Tanzania
Latu, Ms Vai, yfl, Free Church of Tonga
Lawson, Mr Matthew, yml, Church of England
Leafa Elia, Ms Ake, yfl, (Western Samoa), Methodist Church in Samoa
Lee, Ms Tessa, yfl, Presbyterian Church of Korea
Lee Ming -Yu, Ms, fl, Presbyterian Church in Taiwan
Livermore, Ms Caroline, fl, Religious Society of Friends [UK]
Mainprize, Ms Diana, yfl, Anglican Church of Australia
Martens, Mr Warren, yml, Aboriginal and Islander Commission, Australia
Mathew, Mr George, yml, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church [India]
McConnell, Mr Kent, yml, Presbyterian Church (USA)
Mckim, Capt. John, ml, (Australia), The Salvation Army
McLean, Ms Alison, yfl, Anglican Church of Canada
McNally -Worrell, Mrs Susan, yfl, Episcopal Church [USA]
Meyer, Mr Joel, yml, Church of the Brethren [USA]
Mofokeng, Mr Ernest, yml, (South Africa), Ebenezer Evangelical Church
Mo glia, Mr Simon, yml, Uniting Church in Australia
Morales Sanchez, Ms Estela, yfl, Evangelical Methodist Church [Uruguay]
Moran, Ms Julie, yfl, (Australia), Roman Catholic Church
Moricz, Ms Julia, fl, Orthodox Church in America
Mwakibinga, Mr Silas, yml, Moravian Church in Tanzania
Nantalo, Ms Yasmina, yfl, (Kenya), Church of Uganda
Nassif, Mr Mahrous, yml, (Australia), Coptic Orthodox Church [Egypt]
Naw Lwe Say, Ms, fl, Myanmar Baptist Convention
Newell, Ms Lucinda, fl, Anglican Church of Australia
Ngondji, Ms Ikedji, yfl, Community of Disciples of Christ [Zaire]
Nichols, Ms Catherine, yfl, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) [USA]
Nirmal, Mr Milind, yml, Church of North India
Nit a , Mr Ciprian, yml, Romanian Orthodox Church
Nkwe, Mr Modipe, yml, (Botswana), Church of the Province of Central Africa
Ntreh, Mr Joseph, ml, Evangelical Presbyterian Church [Ghana]
324 Signs of the Spirit
Nyatepe-Coo, Ms Ehui, fl, (Togo), Protestant Methodist Church in Benin and
Togo
United Methodist Church [USA]
Ochoumare, Ms Laure, yfl, (Senegal), Protestant Methodist Church in Benin and
Togo
Oduche, Ms Deborah, yfl, Church of Nigeria
Oelze, Mr Stefan, yml, Evangelical Church in Germany
Olayinka, Ms Bolaji, yfl, Christ Apostolic Church [Nigeria]
Oliva Proazzi, Mr Walter, yml, United Evangelical Lutheran Church [Argentina]
Omolo, Ms Ann, yfl, Church of the Province of Kenya
Opio, Mr Joseph, ml, (USA), Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All
Africa [Egypt]
Oyalana, Ms Victoria, yfl, Methodist Church [Nigeria]
Padarath, Mr Premanand, ml, Presbyterian Church in Canada
Parris, Mr Ezra, yml, (Jamaica), Moravian Church, Eastern West Indies
Province
Paszkjewicz, Ms Anna, yfl, Autocephalic Orthodox Church in Poland
Paul, Ms Bareli, yfl, (Papua New Guinea), United Church in Papua New Guinea
and the Solomon Islands
Payne, Mr Christopher, ml, Uniting Church in Australia
Pearcy, Mr Hamish, yml, Anglican Church of Australia
Perry, Ms Tania, yfl, Uniting Church in Australia
Pinter Brebovszkyne , Rev. Marta, fo, Lutheran Church in Hungary
Pittman, Ms Rhonda, yfl, Church of the Brethren [USA]
Purdy, Ms Dawn, yfl, United Church of Canada
Rafaeie, Mr Sikeli, ml, (Fiji), Roman Catholic Church
Rakotoharintsifa, Mr Andrianjatovo, ml, (Switzerland), Church of Jesus Christ in
Madagascar
Rakotonirainy , Mile Bakoharimisa, yfl, Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar
Rene, Ms Doryn, fl, (Mauritius), Church of the Province of the Indian Ocean
Ross, Ms Catherine, yfl, Anglican Church of Australia
Ruddell, Ms Maryellen, yfl, Presbyterian Church in Canada
Rusden, Mrs Cathleen, yfl, Presbyterian Church of New Zealand
Saarelma, Mr Antti, yml, Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Finland
Sainty, Mr Hugh, ml, (Australia), Roman Catholic Church
Santhosham, Rev. Galeb, mo, (Malaysia), Evangelical Lutheran Church in
Malaysia and Singapore
Sarapik, Rev. Aivar, ymo, Russian Orthodox Church
Saunders, Rev. Leith, fo, United Church of Canada
Schalekamp, Mr David, yml, Reformed Church in America
Schaumburg-Miiller , Ms Marianne, yfl, Evangelical Lutheran Church of
Denmark
Shole, Mr Samuel, ml, (South Africa), Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern
Africa
Additional Documents 325
Sigurthorsson, Mr Kristinn, ml, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland
Silva Dos Santos, Mr Jerry, yml, Episcopal Church of Brazil
Simango, Ms Gladys, yfl, (Zimbabwe), United Church of Christ [USA]
Simon, Mr Donald, ml, Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu
Simunyola, Mr Stanley, yml, United Church of Zambia
Soliman, Ms Miriam, yfl, (Australia), Coptic Orthodox Church [Egypt]
Solomon, Mr Ghebre Michael, ml, (Kenya), Ethiopian Evangelical Church
Mekane Yesus
Stepanov, Mr Nikolai, ml, (USA), Russian Orthodox Church
Supardan, Ms Prapti, yfl, Javanese Christian Churches (GKJ) [Indonesia]
Tangulu, Ms Nonu, yfl, Methodist Church in Tonga
Taufa, Ms Tangitangi, yfl, (Tonga), Roman Catholic Church
Teodoro, Ms Gloria, yfl, Philippine Independent Church
Thornhill, Ms Betty, yfl, United Church of Canada
Thorpe, Mr Jeremy, yml, Anglican Church of Australia
Tongia, Mr Tevita, ml, (Tonga), Church of the Province of New Zealand
Traitler-Espiritu, Mr Sascha, yml, Evangelical Church-Augsburg and Helvetic
Confessions [Austria]
Tranda, Ms Hanna, yfl, Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in
Poland
Vaalele, Mr Talia, ml, (Fiji), Congregational Christian Church in Samoa
Van Katwijk, Mr Evert-Jan, yml, Netherlands Reformed Church
Vasechko, Mr Valentin, ml, (USA), Russian Orthodox Church
Visco Gilardi, Mr Leonardo, yml, Evangelical Methodist Church of Italy
Viviers Beltrami, Ms Ana Laura, yfl. Evangelical Methodist Church [Argentina]
Von Sinner, Mr Rudolf, yml, (Germany), Swiss Protestant Church Federation
Waszuk, Mr David, yml. Evangelical Methodist Church [Uruguay]
Weber, Ms Karin, yfl, Federation of Evangelical Churches [Germany]
Weston, Ms Roberta, yfl, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
Whelan, Mr Shawn, yml, (Australia), Roman Catholic Church
Williams, Mr Abayomi, ml, Methodist Church of Sierra Leone
Williamson, Ms Elizabeth, yfl, Anglican Church of Australia
Wirakotan, Mr Joseph, yml, Uniting Church in Australia
Wuthiwaropas , Mr Sutap, ml, Church of Christ in Thailand
Yacoub, Mr Ishak, yml, Coptic Orthodox Church [Egypt]
Zakary, Mr Ezzat, ml, Coptic Orthodox Church [Egypt]
Zeballos Flores, Ms Maria, yfl, Pentecostal “Fuente de Salvation” [Argentina]
STAFF
Appel, Mrs Doris, fl, Germany
Appiah, Ms Evelyn, fl, Ghana
Arai, Rev. Tosh, mo, Japan
326 Signs of the Spirit
Ariarajah, Rev. Dr Wesley, mo, Sri Lanka
Balikungeri, Mrs Mary, fl, Switzerland
Barth-Dadieh, Mrs Salomey, fl, Switzerland
Batista Guerra, Rev. Israel, mo, Cuba
Becher, Mrs Jeanne, fl, USA
Bejfa, Mr Pierre, ml, Switzerland
Be guin- Austin, Ms Midge, fl, Switzerland
Berry, Ms Victoria, fl, Canada
Best, Rev. Dr Thomas, mo, USA
Blyth, Rev. Myra, fo, UK
Botros, Ms Brigitta, fl, Switzerland
Braunschweiger, Ms Nan, fl, Switzerland
Bria, Prof. Ion, mo, Romania
Brock, Mr Peter, ml, Australia
Briischweiler , Mme Patricia, fl, Switzerland
Burgy, Mr Francois, ml, Switzerland
Buss, Pasteur Theo, mo, Switzerland
Cambitsis, Mrs Joan, fl, UK
Campbell, Rev. Joan, fo, USA
Cano, Ms Andrea, fl, USA
Castro, Rev. Dr Emilio, mo, Uruguay
Chan Seong Foong, Ms, fl, Malaysia
Chaperon, Mme Danielle, fl, France
Chapman, Mrs Pamela, fl, UK
Chapman, Mrs Eileen, fl, Australia
Christ, Ms Catherine, fl, USA
Christ, Frau Margrit, fl, Switzerland
Constant, Mrs Brigitte, fl, France
Cooney SMSM, Sister Monica, fl, New Zealand
Courvoisier, Ms Maryse, fl, France
Csupor, Mrs Isabel, fl, Germany
Cudre-Mauroux, Mr Gilbert, ml, Switzerland
David, Rev. Canon Kenith, mo, South Africa/UK
Davies, Rev. Michael, mo, UK
De Rycke, Mrs Desiree, fl, Switzerland
Dhanjal-Lugon, Mrs Sophie, fl, Switzerland
Donch, Ms Rosemarie, fl, Germany
Doom, Mr John, ml, French Polynesia
Dorris, Deacon Thomas, ml, USA
Durai singh. Rev. Dr Christopher, mo, India
Fanchette, Fr Philippe, mo, Mauritius
Faure-Clemente, Mrs Francisca, fl, Switzerland
Ferris, Dr Elizabeth, fl, USA
Fischer -Duchable , Mrs Nicole, fl, Switzerland
Additional Documents 327
Fitzpatrick , Ms Brenda, fl, Australia
Fleury, Ms Beatrice, fl, France
Ford, Ms Linda, fl, UK
Freidig, Ms Marlise, fl, Switzerland
Friedli, Mrs Shelagh, fl, Switzerland
Fung, Mr Raymond, ml, Hong Kong
Gassmann, Rev. Dr Gunther, mo, Germany
Gautschi-Bischof, Ms Margret, fl, Switzerland
Gehler, Ms Marie-Louise, fl, UK
Gendre, Mrs Marie-Christine, fl, Switzerland
George, Rev. Dr K.M., mo, India
Giovannini, Mrs Maria Rosa, fl, Switzerland
Gouel, Ms Elisabeth, fl, France
Granberg-Michaelson, Rev. Wesley, mo, USA
Green, Ms Rosemary, fl, UK
Greig, Rev. James, mo, UK
Grob, Ms Monika, fl, Switzerland
Haller, Ms Ema, fl, Switzerland
Harper, Rev. Charles, mo, USA
Hassink , Mr Edwin, yml, Netherlands
Haworth, Ms Joan, fl, UK
Herrmann, Dr Rudolf, ml, Switzerland
Hilton, Dr David, ml, USA
Hoppe, Ms Anneliese, fl, Germany
Hyatt, Mrs Lore, fl, Germany
Inoubli, Mrs Catherine, fl, France
Isaac, Mr Samuel, ml, India
Janda, Rev. Canon Clement, mo, Sudan
Jauch, Ms Eldri, fl, Switzerland
Jungo, Ms Stella, fl, Switzerland
Kaiser, Ms Helga, fl, Germany
Kanyoro, Mr Francis, ml, Kenya
Kaseje, Dr Dan, mo, Kenya
Katsuno, Ms Lynda, fl, Canada
Kemppi-Repo , Rev. Eeva, fo, Finland
Kerkhojf, Ms Cornelia, fl, Germany
Ketsela, Ms Mulu, fl, Ethiopia
Keulemans, Dr Nico, ml, Netherlands
Kifle, Ato Melaku, ml, Ethiopia
Kindt-Siegwalt, Rev. Dr Irmgard, fo, Germany
Kok, Mr Jan, ml, Netherlands
Komalo, Ms Imalia, fl, Indonesia
Konta de Palma, Mrs Livia, yfl, Sweden
Koshy, Mr Ninan, ml, India
328 Signs of the Spirit
Larson, Rev. Dr Rebecca, fo, Canada
Lebouachera, Ms Yasmina, fl, Switzerland
Leclere, Mme Catherine, fl, France
Lemopulo, Mr Yorgo, ml, Turkey
Leu, Ms Isabelle, fl, Switzerland
Limouris, V. Rev. Prof. Dr Gennadios, mo, Greece
Linn, Pfarrer Gerhard, mo, Germany
Mac Arthur, Rev. Terry, mo, USA
Maldonado, Rev. Dr Jorge, mo, Ecuador
Marquot, Mrs Lise, fl, Switzerland
McClellan, Mrs Monique, fl, Germany
McNulty, Mrs Joyce, fl, UK
Mizuno, Ms Michelle, yfl, USA
Monjol, Mr Michel, ml, France
Mubu, Mr Kenneth, ml, Zambia
Murigande, Pasteur Richard, mo, Burundi
Mustaklem, Mr Costandi, ml, Jordan
Mutambirwa, Dr James, ml, Zimbabwe
Nerfin, Ms Catherine, fl, Switzerland
Nicole, Dr Jacques, mo, Switzerland
Niles, Dr D. Preman, ml, Sri Lanka
Oduyoye, Dr Mercy, fl, Ghana
Oh Jae-Shik , Dr, ml, Korea
Oracion, Rev. Dr Levi, mo, Philippines
Ortega, Rev. Ofelia, fo, Cuba
Pache, Mrs Therese, fl, Switzerland
Padolina, Ms Priscilla, fl, Philippines
Palma, Ms Marta, fl, Chile
Park Kyung-Seo, Dr, ml, Korea
Payne, Rev. Clifford, mo, Trinidad
Perkins, Rev. William, mo, USA
Petting ell, Rev. Hugh, mo, UK
Philpot, Mr David, ml, UK
Pirri-Simonian, Ms Teny, fl, Lebanon
Pity ana, Rev. Barney, mo, South Africa
Pobee, Dr John, mo, Ghana
Poerwowidagdo, Rev. Dr Judo, mo, Indonesia
Poser, Dr Klaus, ml, Germany
Pozzi- Johnson, Mr David, ml, USA
Rajotte, Rev. Dr Freda, fo, UK
Rath, Mr Gunther, ml, Germany
Ray, Ms Sheila, fl, UK
Reidy, Mrs Miriam, fl, Australia
Reilly, Ms Joan, fl, UK
Additional Documents 329
Restrepo, Mrs Mercedes, fl, Switzerland
Riekkinen, Rev. Dr Wille, mo, Finland
Rollman, Mrs Helga, fl, Germany
Ross, Ms Dawn, fl, Canada
Roussel, Ms Magali, fl, Switzerland
Rubeiz , Dr Ghassan, ml, Lebanon
Sabev, Prof. Dr Todor, ml, Bulgaria
Salter, Mrs Elizabeth, fl, UK
Sbeghen, Mrs Renate, fl, Switzerland
Scavella, Mrs Carolyn, fl, USA
Schmidt, Ms Jean, fl, USA
Schoen, Dr Ulrich, mo, Germany
Schweizer, Ms Heidi, fl, Switzerland
Scott, Rev. Bob, mo, New Zealand
Senturias, Dr Erlinda, fl, Philippines
Silenzi, Ms Ada, fl, Italy
Sindab, Ms Jeane, fl, USA
Sintado, Rev. Carlos, mo, Argentina
Skold, Ms Margareta, fl, Sweden
Smith Mrs Gudrun, fl, Germany
Sovik, Mrs Ruth, fl, USA
Stalschus, Ms Christa, fl, Germany
Staudenmann, Mrs Aurea, fl, Switzerland
Stromberg, Ms Jean, fl, USA
Stunt, Ms Heather, fl, UK
Swai, Mr Lalashowi, ml, Tanzania
Talvivaara, Ms Anu, yfl, Finland
Tevi, Ms Lorine, fl, Fiji
Thiers, Ms Odile, fl, France
Thomas, Ms Janet, fl, Liberia
Thomas, Mr T.K., ml, India
Tierney, Ms Claire, fl, Ireland
Tosat-Delaraye, Mrs Pilar, fl, Switzerland
Ucko, Rev. Hans, mo, Sweden
Udodesku-Noll, Mrs Sabine, fl, Germany
Van Beek, Mr Huibert, ml, Netherlands
Van Drimmelen, Drs Robert, ml, Netherlands
VanElderen, Mr Marlin, ml, USA
Veer us de Niilus, Mrs Malle, fl, Argentina
Visinand, Ms Elizabeth, fl, Switzerland
Von Arx, Mrs Denise, fl, Switzerland
Vuagniaux, Mrs Gabrielle, fl, Switzerland
Wahl, Mrs Margot, fl, Germany
Wehrle, Ms Luzia, fl, Switzerland
330 Signs of the Spirit
Williams , Mr Peter, ml, Denmark
Wong, Miss Peony, fl, Hong Kong
Zierl, Ms Ursula, fl, Germany
COOPTED STAFF
Ahn Jae-Woong, Mr, ml, Hong Kong
Akagawa, Mr Keiichi, ml, Japan
Alvarez Castillo, Sra Beatriz, fl, Switzerland
Alvarez Gazapo, Sr Antonio, ml, Spain
Amirtham, Rt Rev. Samuel, mo, India
Arias, Sr Gonzalo, ml, Spain
Baltruweit, Pfarrer Fritz, mo, Germany
Barua, Ms Lucy, fl, Australia
Beaume, Pasteur Gilbert, mo, France
Becker, Prof. Dr Ulrich, mo, Germany
Beltran Acosta, Sra Amparo, fl, Colombia
Best, Mr Bruce, ml, Australia
Binder, Herr Thomas, ml, Germany
B ingle. Dr Richard, ml, UK
Birchmeier, Pasteur Heinz, mo, Switzerland
Bitemo, Monsieur Raymond, ml, Congo
Bluck, Rev. John, mo, New Zealand
Borgmann, Herr Lutz, ml, Germany
Brennan SJ, Fr Frank, mo, Australia
Brown, Rev. John, mo, Australia
Busch, Mr David, ml, Australia
By field, Mrs Hazel, fl, Jamaica
Byu, Dr Esther, fl, Japan
Carpenter, Ms Marj, fl, USA
Casades Morgan, Mrs Ana, yfl, Switzerland
Chernykh, Mrs Natalia, fl, USSR
Chimelli, Mme le pasteur Claire, fo, Switzerland
Coates, Rev. Anthony, mo, UK
Coleman, Mrs Donata, fl, UK
Conway, Mr Martin, ml, UK
Corsten, Mme Katherina, fl, Switzerland
Crawford, Rev. Janet, fo, New Zealand
Cullot, Mme Martine, fl, Switzerland
Dalabira, Ms Helen, fl, Greece
Davite, Mr Marco, ml, Italy
Delmonte, Sra Elisabeth, fl, Uruguay
Additional Documents 331
Demont , Mme Christiane, fl, Switzerland
Devadas, Mr David, ml, India
Douglass , Ms Robyn, fl, Australia
Drossou , Mrs Paraskevi, fl, Greece
Ducharme, Rev. Douglas, mo, Cyprus
Dufour, Sr Daniel, ml, Switzerland
Dupe, Mr Gustaf, ml, Indonesia
Ebner, Mme Roswitha, fl, Switzerland
Epps, Rev. Dwain, mo, USA
Ernst, Frau Erika, fl, Germany
Faerber, Monsieur Robert, ml, Switzerland
F aerber-Evdokimoff , Mme Tomoko, fl, Switzerland
Figuiere, Monsieur Jean, ml, France
Fouke, Ms Carol, fl, USA
Gassmann, Mme Ursula, fl, Switzerland
Ginglas-Poulet, Mme Roswitha, fl, Switzerland
Gnanadason, Mrs Aruna, fl, India
Goertz, Pasteur Marc, mo, France
Gordeev, Mr Serguei, ml, USSR
Gorodnichev, Mr Viacheslav, ml, USSR
Goudswaard, Mr Jos, ml, Australia
Goudswaard, Mrs Dory, fl, Australia
Gray, Rev. Gordon, mo, UK
Grutzner, Mrs Angela, fl, Australia
Gurney, Mr Robin, ml, Switzerland
Haller, Mr Mario, ml, Switzerland
Hazard, Mme Marie-Jo, fl, France
Hildebrand, Frau Bettina, fl, Germany
Holloway, Ms Sandra, fl, Switzerland
Honegger, Pasteur Andre, mo, France
Hovell, Mrs Susana, fl, Australia
How, Rev. Dr Gordon, mo, Canada
Howard, Rev. Fred, mo, USA
Khomoutov, Mr Sergei, ml, USSR
Kim Ha Bum, Mr, ml, Korea
Kim Myung Gon, Mr, ml, Korea
Kinnamon, Rev. Dr Michael, mo, USA
Kollmar, Pfarrer Peter, mo, Germany
Kunde, Sr Carlos, ml, Ecuador
Lamberth, Mr David, ml, USA
Lasserre, Mme Nelly, fl, Switzerland
Ledger, Ms Christine, fl, Switzerland
Lenz, Herr Gerhard, ml, Germany
Lodwick, Rev. Dr Robert, mo, Switzerland
332 Signs of the Spirit
Lopez , Mrs Jeannine, fl, Australia
Lucke, Pfarrer Hartmut, mo, Switzerland
Luttmann, Mme Michele, fl, France
Maiocchi, Dr Renato, ml, Italy
Makhnev, Mr Vassily, ml, USSR
Marshall, Mrs Anne, fl, Australia
Marvillet, Ms Christiane, fl, Australia
Mayor , Rev. John, mo, Australia
Mear, Mme Christine, fl, France
Melnikov, Mr Aleksander, ml, USSR
Merritt, Dr David, mo, Australia
Mitri, Dr Tarek, ml, Lebanon
Miiller -Romheld, Dr Walter, ml, Germany
Mukasa, Mr Paul, ml, Kenya
Nemoto , Mr Nobihiro, ml, Japan
Nevskaya, Mrs Olga, fl, USSR
Ngoma, Mr Jumbe, ml, Zambia
Nolan, Dr Elizabeth, fl, Australia
Northam, Mrs Inge, fl, Switzerland
Nossova, Mrs Zinaida, fl, USSR
Nottingham, Dr William, mo, USA
Nyomi, Rev. Setri, mo, USA
Ortega, Dr Hugo, mo, Argentina
Papathanassiou, Mr Vassilis, ml, Greece
Papayannopoulou, Mrs Natalia, fl, Greece
Pastor, Mr Manuel, ml, Australia
Pater, Frau Margaret, fl, Germany
Pattel-Gray , Ms Anne, fl, Australia
Pattiasina-Toreh , Rev. Mrs Caroline, fo, Indonesia
Pattinasarany , Mrs Jessica, fl, Indonesia
Peralta, Mr Carlos, ml, France
Perkins, Mrs Anna-Brita, fl, Switzerland
Perrot, Ms Agnes, fl, Switzerland
Philibert, Mme Janine, fl, France
Piskunova, Mrs Olga, fl, USSR
Pitt, Miss Sharon, fl, Trinidad
Pother, Mme Fran9oise, fl, Switzerland
Rebera, Mrs Ranjini, fl, Australia
Richter, Mme Madeleine, fl, Switzerland
Richterich, Ms Anita, fl, Switzerland
Robinson, Miss Nancy, fl, Indonesia
Rollason, Mr Russell, ml, Australia
Rzianin, Mr Sergei, ml, USSR
Sabanes de Plou, Sra Dafne, fl, Argentina
Additional Documents 333
Sainz-Trapaga , Sra Natividad, fl, Spain
Santa Ana, Mme Violaine de, fl, Brazil
Santo so, Mr Iman, fl, Indonesia
Schuller -Leao , Ms Marilia, fl, Brazil
Seater , Rev. Robert, mo, USA
Siteke, Monsieur Ubial, ml, Zaire
Skiller, Ms Thelma, fl, Australia
Stephanopoulos , Mrs Nikki, ml, USA
Strake-Behrendt , Dr Gabriele, fl, Germany
Strecker, Frau Renate, fl, Germany
Tatu, Mme Evelyne, fl, Switzerland
Taylor-Bouladon, Ms Valerie, fl, Australia
Teinaore, Monsieur Ralph, ml, French Polynesia
Ulmer, Ms Barbara, fl, Australia
Vickers, Ms Alison, fl, Australia
Voskressenski, Mr Mstislav, ml, USSR
Walker, Mrs Elizabeth, fl, Australia
Ward, Rev. Geoffrey, mo, Australia
Webb, Mr Stephen, ml, Hong Kong
Wee, Rev. Dr Paul, mo, Switzerland
Westphal, Mme Marthe, fl, France
Whitmore, Mr Hal, ml, USA
Wieser, Mme Marguerite, fl, Switzerland
Wik, Mr Boris, ml, USSR
Wilhelm, Herr Clemens, ml, Germany
Wilson, Rev. Dr Frederick, mo, USA
Ziegler, Ms Harriet, fl, Australia
334 Signs of the Spirit
7.10. ASSEMBLY COMMITTEES
AND SECTION LEADERS
BUSINESS COMMITTEE
Held, Rev. Dr Heinz Joachim, mo, United, Germany, Moderator
Chrysostomos of Myra, Metropolitan, mo, Orthodox (Eastern), Greece, Vice¬
moderator
Talbot, Dr Sylvia, fl, Methodist, Virgin Islands USA, Vice-moderator
Barrow, H.E. Dame R. Nita, fl, Methodist, Barbados
Bottoms, Rev. Ruth, yfo, Baptist, UK
Biihrig, Dr phil. Marga, fl, Reformed, Switzerland
Castro, Rev. Dr Emilio, mo, Methodist, Switzerland
Crow, Jr, Rev. Dr Paul, mo, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), USA
Daciuk, Ms Anna, yfl, Orthodox (Eastern), Poland
Fortes, Ms Raquel, yfl, Anglican, Brazil
Francisco, Rev. Julio, mo, Reformed, Angola
Gcabashe, Mrs Virginia, fl, Methodist, South Africa
Gregorios, Metropolitan Dr Paulos Mar, mo, Orthodox (Oriental), India
Hempel, Bishop Dr Johannes, mo, United, Germany
Ibrahim, Metropolitan Gregorios Yohanna, mo, Orthodox (Oriental), Syria
Jefferson, Rev. Ruth, fo, Anglican, Canada
Kaessmann, Rev. Dr Margot, fo, United, Germany
Keshishian, Archbishop Aram, mo, Orthodox (Oriental), Lebanon
Kirill of Smolensk, H.E. Archbishop, mo, Orthodox (Eastern), USSR
Love, Dr Janice, fl, Methodist, USA
Makhulu, Most Rev. W.P. Khotso, mo, Anglican, Botswana
Malpas, Mrs Jan, fl, Anglican, Australia
Motsoeneng, Mr Tseliso, yml, Reformed, Lesotho
Nababan, Ephorus Dr Soritua, mo, Lutheran, Indonesia
Pasco, Obispo Maximo Tito, mo, Philippine Independent, Philippines
Pitakoe, Mr Luke, ml. United, Solomon Islands
Raiwaliu, Mrs Vasiti, fl, Methodist, Fiji
Rotgans, Ms Rosalien, fl, Moravian, Surinam
Schaad, Pastor Juan Pedro, mo, United, Paraguay
Tsetsis, Very Rev. Dr Georges, mo, Orthodox (Eastern), Switzerland
Vokso, Mr Per, ml, Lutheran, Norway
Wilson, Very Rev. Dr Lois, fo, United, Canada
m = male; f = female; o = ordained; 1 = lay; y = youth
Additional Documents 335
CREDENTIALS COMMITTEE
Briggs, Mr John, ml. Baptist, UK, Co-moderator
Gcabashe, Mrs Virginia, fl, Methodist, South Africa, Co-moderator
Bobrova, Mrs Nina, fl, Orthodox (Eastern), USSR, Vice-moderator
Iso Malaipa, Mr, yml, United, Papua New Guinea, Vice-moderator
Aykazian, Rev. Fr Viken, mo, Orthodox (Oriental), Switzerland
Boteler, Rev. Mary-Gene, fo, Reformed, USA
Daley, Rev. Oliver, mo, United, Jamaica
Deenik-Moolhuizen, Rev. Jeannette, fo, Reformed, Netherlands
Kim Hyung Ki, Mr, ml, Reformed, Korea
Ruiz Avila, Obispo Raul, mo, Methodist, Mexico
Sjoberg, Bishop Donald, mo, Lutheran, Canada
Wickramasinghe , Ms Lydia, yfl, Anglican, Sri Lanka
FINANCE COMMITTEE
Abel, Miss Carol, fl, Anglican, UK, Co-moderator
Vokso, Mr Per, ml, Lutheran, Norway, Co-moderator
Laham, Mr Albert, ml, Orthodox (Eastern), Switzerland, Vice-moderator
Le Roux, Ms Yvette, yfl, Methodist, South Africa, Vice-moderator
Abr amides, Mr Elias, ml, Orthodox (Eastern), Argentina
Arnold, Oberkirchenrat Walter, mo, United, Germany
Bebis, Prof. Dr George, ml, Orthodox (Eastern), USA
Burnham, Rev. Rachel, fo. United, UK
Bussert, Rev. Joy, fo, Lutheran, USA
Engel, Frau Edeltraud, fl, United, Germany
Francois, Mrs Edith, fl, Reformed, Ghana
Garrett, Dr Maxine, fl, Moravian, USA
Habib, Rev. Dr Samuel, mo, Reformed, Egypt
Hanna, Dr Marcelle, fl, Orthodox (Oriental), USA
Harteveld, Mr Teunis, ml, Reformed, Netherlands
Hatendi, Rt Rev. Dr Ralph, mo, Anglican, Zimbabwe
Hirata, Mrs Makiko, fl. United, Japan
Hye Yeon Yoo, Ms, yfl, Reformed, Korea
Isho, Mrs Susan, yfl, Orthodox (Assyrian), Australia
Jaggi, Pfarrer Paul, mo, Reformed, Switzerland
Jessiman, Dr Jon, ml, United, Canada
Karpenko, Rev. Fr Alexander, mo, Orthodox (Eastern), Switzerland
Kirkpatrick, Rev. Clifton, mo. Reformed, USA
Krusche, Generalsup. Dr Gunter, mo, Germany
336 Signs of the Spirit
Matumbyo, Mr Christopher, yml, Anglican, Tanzania
McGonigle, Mr George, ml, USA
Nifon of Ploiesti, Bishop, mo, Orthodox (Eastern), Romania
Powell, Rev. Staccato, mo, Methodist, USA
Rantakari, Mrs Birgitta, fl, Lutheran, Zambia
Rayner, Most Rev. Dr Keith, mo, Anglican, Australia
Rodgers, Deaconess Margaret, fl, Anglican, Australia
Sandelin, Mr Holger, yml, Lutheran, Sweden
Scott, Dr Beverly, fl, Baptist, USA
Shava, Rev. Naison, mo, Lutheran, Zimbabwe
Tanielu, Rev. Laau, mo, Reformed, Western Samoa
MESSAGE COMMITTEE
Keshishian, Archbishop Aram, mo, Orthodox (Oriental), Lebanon, Co-mod¬
erator
Ketuabanza, Mme Mfutu, fl. Baptist, Zaire, Co-moderator
Edwards, Ms Donnalie, yfl, Anglican, Antigua, Vice-moderator
Wood, Rev. Dr D’Arcy, mo, United, Australia, Vice-moderator
Avr amides, Rev. Stephen, mo, Orthodox (Eastern), Greece
Bredt, Rev. Violet, fo, United, Zambia
Carpenter, Mrs Jennifer, fl, Methodist, UK
Havea, Rev. Dr Sione, mo, Methodist, Tonga
Huttunen, Fr Heikki, mo, Orthodox (Eastern), Finland
Iannuariy, Archimandrite, mo, Orthodox (Eastern), USSR
Jones, Rev. Mac Charles, mo, Baptist, USA
Kumar, Miss Rachel, fl, Methodist, India
Pullam, Ms Ruth, fl, United, Canada
Saga, Mr Stewart, ml, Methodist, Malaysia
Sauca, Rev. Prof. loan, mo, Orthodox (Eastern), Romania
Skulason, Rt Rev. Olafur, mo, Lutheran, Iceland
Szabo, Rev. Mrs Marianna, fo, Lutheran, Hungary
Thompson, Miss Kristine, yfl, Reformed, USA
Wilson, Obispo John, mo, Moravian, Nicaragua
NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE
Jefferson, Rev. Ruth, fo, Anglican, Canada, Co-moderator
Jeremias, Bishop, mo, Orthodox (Eastern), Poland, Co-moderator
Oliveira, Reverendo Deao Orlando, mo, Anglican, Brazil, Vice-moderator
Tolentino, Ms Joy, yfl, Methodist, Philippines, Vice-moderator
Additional Documents 337
Aboud, Mrs Heather, fl, Orthodox (Eastern), Australia
Aco, Sra Graciela, fl, Methodist, Brazil
Ademola, Deaconess Isabella, fl, Methodist, Nigeria
Baah, Miss Maria, yfl, Methodist, Trinidad
Bishoy, Bishop, mo, Orthodox (Oriental), Egypt
Boyadjian, Miss Manoushag, fl. Orthodox (Oriental), Cyprus
Brink , Rev. Agnete, fo, Lutheran, Denmark
Cosma , Mother Filoteia, fl, Orthodox (Eastern), Romania
Eneme, Mrs Grace, fl, Reformed, Cameroon
Epting, Kirchenrat Dr Karl-Christoph, mo, United, Germany
Foster , Rev. Robert, mo, Moravian, Jamaica
Gam, Rt Rev. Getake, mo, Lutheran, Papua New Guinea
Hartmann, Mme Henriette, fl, Reformed, Switzerland
Kangrga, Dr Nedeljko, ml, Orthodox (Eastern), Yugoslavia
Kitahara, Ms Yoko, yfl, United, Japan
Kolowa, Bishop Sebastian, mo, Lutheran, Tanzania
Lofton, Dr Fred, mo, Baptist, USA
M’lmathiu, Bishop Lawi, mo, Methodist, Kenya
Maraki, Rev. Pakoa, mo, Reformed, Vanuatu
Mathew, Mrs Rachel, fl, Mar Thoma, India
Matsinhe, Rev. Carlos, mo, Anglican, Mozambique
Miller, Mrs Peggy Reiff, fl, Brethren, USA
Papaderos, Dr Alexandras, ml, Orthodox (Eastern), Greece
Rabe Ranjanivo, Mile Mialy-Tiana, yfl, Lutheran, Madagascar
Reber, Dr Robert, ml, Methodist, USA
Sergei of Solnechnogorsk, Archbishop, mo, Orthodox (Eastern), Switzerland
Tabart, Dr Jill, fl, United, Australia
Tapia Gleisner, Sra Marcela, yfl, Lutheran, Chile
Tarasar, Dr Constance, fl, Orthodox (Eastern), USA
Waspada, Bishop Dr I Ketut, mo, Reformed, Indonesia
PROGRAMME POLICY COMMITTEE
Nababan, Rt Rev. Dr Soritua, mo, Lutheran, Indonesia, Co-moderator
Ritchie, Pastora Nelida, fo, Methodist, Argentina, Co-moderator
Daniel of Moldavia and Bukovina, Metropolitan, mo, Orthodox (Eastern),
Romania Vice-moderator
Kinnunen, Mrs Mari, yfl, Lutheran, Finland, Vice-moderator
Ahn Chu Hye, Miss, yfl, Methodist, Korea
Andrea, Ms Helene, fl, Orthodox (Eastern), Lebanon
Asuoha, Mrs Ezinne, fl, Reformed, Nigeria
Avvakumov, Rev. Fr Yuri, mo, Orthodox (Eastern), USSR
338 Signs of the Spirit
Basmajian, Ms Nancy, fl, Orthodox (Oriental), USA
Camba, Bishop Erme, mo, United, Philippines
Gerritsma, Drs Nynke, yfl, Reformed, Netherlands
Gorski, Bispo William, mo, Lutheran, Chile
Gregorios, Metropolitan Dr Paulos Mar, mo, Orthodox (Oriental), India
Kidu, Rev. Edea, mo, United, Papua New Guinea
Kirby, Ms Ellen, fl, Methodist, USA
Kishkovsky, Archpriest Leonid, mo, Orthodox (Eastern), USA
Klapsis, Rev. Dr Emmanuel, mo, Orthodox (Eastern), USA
Koshy, Prof. George, ml, United, India
Meade, Miss Alfreda, fl, Anglican, Montserrat
Nyirabukara, Mme Josette, fl, Reformed, Rwanda
Palmer, Mr Samuel, ml, Methodist, Sierra Leone
Ravololoson, Mme le pasteur Esther, fo, United, Madagascar
Serapion, Bishop, mo, Orthodox (Oriental), Egypt
Sherry, Rev. Dr Paul, mo, United, USA
Supit, Dr Bert, ml, Reformed, Indonesia
Tveter, Ms Anne, yfl, Lutheran, Norway
Urban, Frau Ursula, fl, United, Germany
Vogt, Ms Franziska, yfl, Old Catholic, Switzerland
Walker-Smith, Rev. Angelique, fo, Baptist, USA
PUBLIC ISSUES COMMITTEE
Love, Dr Janice, fl, Methodist, USA, Co-moderator
Toth, Bishop Dr Karoly, mo, Reformed, Hungary, Co-moderator
Okullu, Rt Rev. Dr J. Henry, mo, Anglican, Kenya, Vice -moderator
Shirras, Ms Rachel, yfl, Anglican, UK, Vice-moderator
Ayres Mattos, Bispo Paulo, mo, Methodist, Brazil
Bakkevig, Rev. Dr Trond, mo, Lutheran, Norway
Buev sky. Dr Alexei, ml, Orthodox (Eastern), USSR
Daw, Ms Diana, fl, Baptist, Myanmar
Edgar, Pauline, fl, Friends, USA
Gilbert, Dr Helga, fl, United, Germany
Hromadka, Dr Josef, mo. Reformed, CSFR
Jacobs, Mrs Lorraine, fl, Christian Churches (Disciples), New Zealand
Lee, Prof. Dr Samuel, ml, Reformed, Korea
Lynn, Ms Stephanie, yfl. United, Canada
Mackenzie , Ms Vanessa, fl, Anglican, South Africa
Mit sides. Dr Andreas, ml. Orthodox (Eastern), Cyprus
Moussa, Bishop, mo, Orthodox (Oriental), Egypt
Pashaian, Mrs Karine, fl, Orthodox (Oriental), USSR
Additional Documents 339
Paul , Ms Jenny, fl, Anglican, Sudan
Pheidas , Prof. Vlasios, ml, Orthodox (Eastern), Greece
Pitts, Rev. Tyrone, mo, Baptist, USA
Richaud, Mme Vani, fl, Reformed, French Polynesia
Soone, Dean Einar, mo, Lutheran, USSR
Trenaman , Ms Dianne, yfl, United, Australia
Turner, Rev. Eugene, mo, Reformed, USA
Woldeyes, Prof. Asrat, ml, Orthodox (Oriental), Ethiopia
REFERENCE COMMITTEE
Bartholomeos of Chalcedon, Metropolitan, mo, Orthodox (Eastern), Turkey, Co¬
moderator
Raiwalui, Mrs Vasiti, fl, Methodist, Fiji, Co-moderator
Muwanika, Ms Harriet, yfl, Anglican, Uganda, Vice-moderator
Raiser, Prof. Dr Konrad, mo, United, Germany, Vice-moderator
Brandner, Herr Tobias, yml, Reformed, Switzerland
Christenson, Mrs Joyce, fl, Lutheran, Canada
Dawd-El-Khoury , Mrs Mahat, fl, Orthodox (Eastern), Syria
Ebelle-Ekanga, Mme Nicole-Christine, fl, Reformed, Cameroon
Farfan Figueroa, Pastor Erasmo, mo, Pentecostal, Chile
Gomez, Rt Rev. Drexel, mo, Anglican, Barbados
Kao Chun-Ming, Rev., mo, Reformed, Taiwan
Katonia, Citoyen Tusange, yml, Baptist, Zaire
Lodberg, Mr Peter, ml, Lutheran, Denmark
Maeda, Ms Keiko, fl, Anglican, Japan
My a Han, Most Rev. Andrew, mo, Anglican, Myanmar
Orlova, Ms Tatyana, fl, Baptist, USSR
Page, Rev. Dr Ruth, fo, Reformed, UK
Petliuchenko, Archpriest Viktor, mo, Orthodox (Eastern), USSR
Popescu, Mr Cristian, yml, Orthodox (Eastern), Romania
Rhaburn, Mrs Violet, fl, Methodist, Panama
Sahade, Rev. Fr Ignacio, mo, Orthodox (Eastern), Argentina
Scouteris, Prof. Constantine, ml. Orthodox (Eastern), Greece
Serote, Bishop Ntwampe, mo, Lutheran, South Africa
Tate, Mrs Hazel, fl, Baptist, USA
Thomas, Prof. Mary, fl, Orthodox (Oriental), India
REPORT COMMITTEE
Azariah, Mrs Khushnud, fl, United, Pakistan, Co-moderator
Crow, Jr, Rev. Dr Paul, mo, Disciples, USA, Co-moderator
340 Signs of the Spirit
Attia, Mr Maged, yml, Orthodox (Oriental), Australia, Vice-moderator
Pogo, Rt Rev. Ellison, mo, Anglican, Solomon Islands, Vice-moderator
Borovoy, Protopresbyter Vitaly, mo, Orthodox (Eastern), USSR
Bosenberg, Sra Cristina, yfl, United, Argentina
Brown, Dr Katheryn Middleton, fl, Methodist, USA
Correia, Profesora Evanilza de Barros, fl, Anglican, Brazil
Efthimiou, Rev. Dr Milton, mo, Orthodox (Eastern), USA
Gedisa, Ms Gabby, fl, Lutheran, Papua New Guinea
Hannon, Rt Rev. Brian, mo, Anglican, UK
Hayes, Rev. Stephen, mo, Reformed, Canada
Hirschler, Landesbischof Horst, mo, United, Germany
Karickam, Prof. Abraham, ml, Mar Thoma, India
Kathindi, Mrs Nangula, fl, Anglican, Namibia
Mbise, Ms Loe Rose, fl, Lutheran, Tanzania
Misukka, Ms Marina, yfl. Orthodox (Eastern), Finland
Pilton, Ms Linda, yfl, Christian Churches (Disciples), Australia
SECTION LEADERSHIP
Section I : Giver of Life — Sustain your Creation !
Abraham, Mrs Ruth, fl, Lutheran, Ethiopia, Co-moderator
Kirill of Smolensk, H.E. Archbishop, mo, Orthodox (Eastern), USSR, Co¬
moderator
Hebmiiller, Mr Paulo, yml, Lutheran, Brazil, Vice-moderator
Taufatofua, Rev. Sela, fo, Methodist, Tonga, Vice-moderator
Drafters
De Gaay Fortman, Prof. Dr Bastiaan, ml, Reformed, Netherlands
Orteza, Mrs Edna, fl, United, USA
Section II : Spirit of Truth — Set us Free !
Gondarra, Rev. Djiniyini, mo, United, Australia Co-moderator
Kaessmann, Rev. Dr Margot, fo, United, Germany Co-moderator
Danquah, Ms Beatrice, yfl, Reformed, Ghana Vice-moderator
Taylor, Mr Victor, ml, Methodist, USA, Vice-moderator
Drafters
Johnston, Prof. Alexandra, fl, Reformed, Canada
Totomarovario, Mme Laurette, fl, Anglican, Madagascar
Additional Documents 34 1
Section III : Spirit of Unity — Reconcile your People !
Ibrahim , Metropolitan Gregorios Yohanna, mo, Orthodox (Oriental), Syria, Co¬
moderator
Seim, Dr Turid Karlsen, fl, Lutheran, Norway, Co-moderator
Kikalao, Mr Nashon, yml, Lutheran, Tanzania, Vice-moderator
Zacharias Mar Theophilos, Bishop, mo, Mar Thoma, India, Vice-moderator
Drafters
Mayland, Mrs Jean, fl, Anglican, UK
Zahirsky, Mrs Valerie, fl, Orthodox (Eastern), USA
Section IV : Holy Spirit — Transform and Sanctify Us !
Dickson, Rev. Prof. Kwesi, mo, Methodist, Ghana, Co-moderator
Rotgans, Ms Rosalien, fl, Moravian, Surinam, Co-moderator
Aguilar, Ms Elizabeth, yfl, United, USA, Vice-moderator
Najarian, Rev. Fr Haigazoun, mo, Orthodox (Oriental), USA, Vice-moderator
Drafters
Jonson, Rt Rev. Dr Jonas, mo, Lutheran, Sweden
Kuria, Rev. Dr Plawson, mo, Reformed, Kenya
342 Signs of the Spirit
7.11. THE PRESIDENTS AND MEMBERS
OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE
(ELECTED IN CANBERRA)
PRESIDIUM
Aagaard , Prof. Anna Marie, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark
Anderson , Bishop Vinton, African Methodist Episcopal Church, USA
Boseto, Bishop Leslie, United Church in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon
Islands
Mendis, Mrs Priyanka, Church of Ceylon
Parthenios, His Beatitude, Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All
Africa, Egypt
Santana, Rev. Eunice, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Puerto Rico
Shenouda III, His Holiness Pope, Coptic Orthodox Church, Egypt
Tolen, Dr Aaron, Presbyterian Church of Cameroon
OFFICERS
Keshishian, Archbishop Aram, Armenian Apostolic Church (Cilicia), Lebanon,
Moderator
Nababan, Ephorus Dr Soritua, Batak Protestant Christian Church (HKBP),
Indonesia, Vice-moderator
Ritchie, Pastora Nelida, Evangelical Methodist Church of Argentina, Vice¬
moderator
Castro Rev. Dr Emilio, Evangelical Methodist Church, Uruguay, General
secretary
Abraham, Mrs Ruth, Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus
Adams, Dr Charles, Progressive National Baptist Convention Inc., USA
Ahn Chu Hye, Miss, Korean Methodist Church
Ajalat, Mr Charles, Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East,
Syria
Akhura, Rev. Levi, African Church of the Holy Spirit, Kenya
Allsop, Rev. Ian, Churches of Christ in Australia
Ambrosius of Joensuu, Bishop, Orthodox Church of Finland
Anggui, Rev. Andreas, Toraja Church, Indonesia
Arnold, Oberkirchenrat Walter, Evangelical Church in Germany
Audi, Metropolitan Elias, Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the
East, Syria
Avvakumov, Rev. Fr Yuri, Russian Orthodox Church
Additional Documents 343
Ayres Mattos, Bispo Paulo, Methodist Church in Brazil
Azariah, Mrs Khushnud, Church of Pakistan
Bannister , Mrs Kathryn, United Methodist Church, USA
*Bartholomeos of Chalcedon, Metropolitan, Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constan¬
tinople, Turkey
Basmajian, Ms Nancy, Armenian Apostolic Church (Etchmiadzin), USSR
Bazett, Barbara, Canadian Yearly Meeting-Society of Friends
*Best, Mrs Marion, United Church of Canada
Beukenhorst, Pasteur Martinus, United Protestant Church of Belgium
Birmele, Prof. Dr Andre, Evangelical Church- Augsburg Confession Alsace/
Lorraine, France
Blei, Rev. Dr Karel, Netherlands Reformed Church
Bosenberg, Sra Cristina, Evangelical Church of the River Plate, Argentina
Bozabalian, Archbishop Nerses, Armenian Apostolic Church (Etchmiadzin),
USSR
Bredt, Rev. Violet, United Church of Zambia
*Briggs, Mr John, Baptist Union of Great Britain
Browning, Most Rev. Edmond, Episcopal Church, USA
Bue, Bishop Bj0m, Church of Norway
Buev sky, Dr Alexei, Russian Orthodox Church
Carvalho, Mr Ari, United Methodist Church, USA
Chiwanga, Mrs Gladys, Church of the Province of Tanzania
Chrysanthos of Limassol, Metropolitan, Church of Cyprus
Chrysostomos of Peristerion, Metropolitan, Church of Greece
Correia, Prof. Evanilza de Barros, Episcopal Church of Brazil
Crow, Jr, Rev. Dr Paul, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), USA
Csiha, Dr Kalman, Reformed Church of Romania
*Daniel of Moldavia and Bukovina, Metropolitan, Romanian Orthodox Church
*Danquah, Ms Beatrice, Presbyterian Church of Ghana
David of Suchumi and Abkhazeti, Metropolitan, Georgian Orthodox Church
Dometian of Vidin, Metropolitan, Bulgarian Orthodox Church
Engel, Frau Edeltraud, Evangelical Church in Germany
Farfan Figueroa, Pastor Erasmo, Pentecostal Mission Church, Chile
Francisco, Rev. Julio, Evangelical Congregational Church in Angola
Ganaba, Mrs Olga, Russian Orthodox Church
Garrett, Dr Maxine, Moravian Church in America (Northern Province)
*Gcabashe, Mrs Virginia, Methodist Church of Southern Africa
Gerka, Prof. Dr Milan, Orthodox Church of Czechoslovakia
Gerny, Bischof Hans, Old Catholic Church of Switzerland
Ghose, Most Rev. John, Church of North India
Giannopoulos , Archimandrite Theophilos, Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of
Jerusalem
*Member of the executive committee.
344 Signs of the Spirit
*Gomez, Rt Rev. Drexel, Church in the Province of the West Indies
Gondarra, Rev. Djiniyini, Uniting Church in Australia
Hannon , Rt Rev. Brian, Church of Ireland
Hirata, Mrs Makiko, United Church of Christ in Japan
Houmbouy, M. Bealo, Evangelical Church in New Caledonia and the Loyalty
Isles
Ibrahim, Metropolitan Gregorios Yohanna, Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of
Antioch and All the East, Syria
Izard, Miss Rosemary, Methodist Church, UK
Jagers, Mrs Maryon, Church of England
Jarjour, Mrs Rosangela, National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon
Jones, Dr Mac Charles, National Baptist Convention of America
Jung, Dr Hans-Gemot, Evangelical Church in Germany
*Kaessmann, Rev. Dr Margot, Evangelical Church in Germany
Kathindi, Mrs Nangula, Church of the Province of Southern Africa
Katonia, Citoyen Tusange, Episcopal Baptist Community, Zaire
Kidu, Rev. Edea, United Church in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands
*Kirill of Smolensk, H.E. Archbishop, Russian Orthodox Church
Kirov, Mr Dimitre, Bulgarian Orthodox Church
*Kishkovsky, Very Rev. Leonid, Orthodox Church in America
Konach, Mr Wsiewolod, Autocephalic Orthodox Church in Poland
Koshy, Prof. George, Church of South India
Krusche, Generalsup. Dr Gunter, Federation of Evangelical Churches, Germany
Larsson, Dr Birgitta, Church of Sweden
Liddell, Dr Shirley, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, USA
Lodberg, Mr Peter, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark
Love, Dr Janice, United Methodist Church, USA
Malpas, Mrs Jan, Anglican Church of Australia
Mandeng, Rev. Dr David, Presbyterian Church of Cameroon
Mandysova , Mrs Nadeje, Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren
*Mapanao, Miss Maryssa, United Church of Christ in the Philippines
Mbugo, Mr Andrew, Province of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan
Mendez, Rev. Hector, Presbyterian Reformed Church in Cuba
Miller, Dr Donald, Church of the Brethren, USA
Moseme, Rev. Dr Abiel, Lesotho Evangelical Church
Moukouyou-Kimbouala, Monsieur Michel, Evangelical Church of the Congo
Muller-Stover , Dr Irmela, Evangelical Church in Germany
Mulder, Dr Edwin, Reformed Church in America
Mungania, Rev. John, Methodist Church in Kenya
Muttiah, Rev. Dr Thesiganesan, Methodist Church [Sri Lanka]
Mwondha, Mrs Faith, Church of Uganda
Neliubova, Ms Margarita, Russian Orthodox Church
Nifon of Ploiesti, Bishop, Romanian Orthodox Church
Nontawasee, Mrs Prakai, Church of Christ in Thailand
Additional Documents 345
Oettel, Frau Christine, Federation of Evangelical Churches, Germany
*Okullu, Rt Rev. Dr J. Henry, Church of the Province of Kenya
Omodunbi , Bishop Amos, Methodist Church, Nigeria
Omoyajowo , Very Rev. Prof. Joseph, Church of Nigeria
Page, Rev. Dr Ruth, Church of Scotland
Park Jong-Wha, Prof. Dr, Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea
Pasco, Obispo Maximo Tito, Philippine Independent Church
Patelos, Prof. Constantine, Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All
Africa, Egypt
Paulin, Rev. Rachel, Presbyterian Church of New Zealand
Pavlovic, Metropolitan Jovan, Serbian Orthodox Church, Yugoslavia
Peers, Most Rev. Michael, Anglican Church of Canada
Petliuchenko , Archpriest Viktor, Russian Orthodox Church
Predele, Ms Aida, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia
Rakotomaro, Pasteur Jean-Baptiste, Malagasy Lutheran Church
Rani, Ms V.R. Vidhya, United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India
*Rantakari, Mrs Birgitta, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
Rhaburn, Mrs Violet, Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the Americas
Roger son, Rt Rev. Barry, Church of England
Romanides, Prof. John, Church of Greece
Rusch, Rev. Dr William, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Rusterholz, Pfarrer Heinrich, Swiss Protestant Church Federation
Salvador, Pastor Jose da Silveira, Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Portugal
Sanchez, Pastor Carlos, Baptist Association of El Salvador
Scoutas, Mrs Patricia, Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, Turkey
Seddoh, Mme Nenevi, Evangelical Church of Togo
Serapion, Bishop, Coptic Orthodox Church, Egypt
Sherry, Rev. Dr Paul, United Church of Christ, USA
Soedjatmoko , Mrs Sri Winarti, East Java Christian Church (GKJW), Indonesia
Sumbayak, Mr Harrys, Simalungun Protestant Christian Church (GKPS),
Indonesia
Supit , Dr Bert, Christian Evangelical Church in Minahasa (GMIM), Indonesia
Szabo, Rev. Mrs Marianna, Lutheran Church in Hungary
Szarek, Okr Jan, Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Poland
*Talbert, Bishop Melvin, United Methodist Church, USA
Tanielu, Rev. Laau, Congregational Christian Church in Samoa
Taufatofua, Rev. Sela, Methodist Church in Tonga
Tetelepta, Dr Hesina, Protestant Church in the Moluccas (GPM), Indonesia
Thomas, Prof. Mary, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, India
Thompson, Ms Kristine, Presbyterian Church (USA)
Timotheos, H.G. Archbishop, Ethiopian Orthodox Church
T set sis. Very Rev. Dr Georges, Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople,
Turkey
Turner, Rev. Dr Eugene, Presbyterian Church (USA)
346 Signs of the Spirit
Tveter, Ms Anne, Church of Norway
Txvagirayesu, Pasteur Michel, Presbyterian Church of Rwanda
Vasquez, Sra Denise, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Viczian, Rev. Dr Janos, Baptist Union of Hungary
Walker-Smith, Rev. Angelique, National Baptist Convention USA Inc.
Weiss, Rev. Dr Daniel, American Baptist Churches in the USA
Welch, Rev. Elizabeth, United Reformed Church in the UK
Werkstrom, Archbishop Bertil, Church of Sweden
Wessels, Rev. Martin, Moravian Church in South Africa
Westra, Drs Aukje, Reformed Churches in the Netherlands
Williams, Mrs Tungane, Cook Islands Christian Church
Wolde Eyesus, Dr Markos, Ethiopian Orthodox Church
*Zacharias Mar Theophilos, Bishop, Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar,
India
Zau Yaw, Rev. M., Myanmar Baptist Convention
Zita, Pasteur Amos, Presbyterian Church of Mozambique
Additional Documents 347
7.12. MEMBER CHURCHES, ASSOCIATE MEMBER
CHURCHES AND ASSOCIATE COUNCILS
AFRICA
African Christian Church and Schools [Kenya] f
African Church of the Holy Spirit [Kenya]* *
African Israel Church, Nineveh [Kenya]
African Protestant Church [Cameroon]*
Angolan Council of Evangelical Churches**
Baptist Community of Western Zaire
Botswana Christian Council**
Christian Council of Ghana**
Christian Council of Tanzania**
Christian Council of Zambia**
Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar
Church of Jesus Christ on Earth by the Prophet Simon Kimbangu [Zaire]
Church of the Brethren in Nigeria
Church of the Lord Aladura [Nigeria]
Church of the Province of Burundi, Rwanda and Zaire [Burundi]
Church of the Province of Central Africa [Botswana]
Church of the Province of Kenya
Church of the Province of Nigeria
Church of the Province of Southern Africa [South Africa]
Church of the Province of Tanzania
Church of the Province of the Indian Ocean [Seychelles]
Church of the Province of West Africa [Liberia]
Church of Uganda
Community of Disciples of Christ [Zaire]
Community of Light [Zaire]
Council of Churches in Namibia**
Council of Churches in Sierra Leone**
Council of Swaziland Churches**
Dutch Reformed Mission Church of South Africa
t Names and locations of churches are given according to information available to the WCC
at the time of publication. The name of the country appears in square brackets where it is not
obvious from the name of the church. Geographical references are provided only where they
are necessary to identify the church or when they indicate the location of headquarters of
churches with regional or world membership. The mention of a country in this list does not
imply any political judgment on the part of the WCC.
* Associate member church. ** Associate council.
348 Signs of the Spirit
Episcopal Baptist Community [Zaire]
Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus
Ethiopian Orthodox Church
Evangelical Church of Cameroon
Evangelical Church of Gabon
Evangelical Church of the Congo
Evangelical Church of Togo
Evangelical Community [Zaire]
Evangelical Congregational Church in Angola
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa [South Africa]
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe
Evangelical Pentecostal Church of Angola*
Evangelical Presbyterian Church [Ghana]
Evangelical Presbyterian Church in South Africa
Gambia Christian Council**
Lesotho Evangelical Church
Liberian Council of Churches**
Lutheran Church in Liberia
Malagasy Lutheran Church
Mennonite Community [Zaire]
Methodist Church, Ghana
Methodist Church in Kenya
Methodist Church in Zimbabwe
Methodist Church, Nigeria
Methodist Church of Southern Africa [South Africa]
Methodist Church Sierra Leone
Moravian Church in Southern Africa [South Africa]
Moravian Church in Tanzania
Nigerian Baptist Convention
Presbyterian Church in Cameroon
Presbyterian Church in the Sudan
Presbyterian Church of Africa [South Africa]
Presbyterian Church of Cameroon
Presbyterian Church of East Africa [Kenya]
Presbyterian Church of Ghana
Presbyterian Church of Mozambique*
Presbyterian Church of Nigeria
Presbyterian Church of Rwanda
Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa [South Africa]
Presbyterian Community [Zaire]
Presbytery of Liberia*
Protestant Church of Algeria*
Protestant Methodist Church in Benin and Togo [Benin]
Additional Documents 349
Protestant Methodist Church, Ivory Coast
Province of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan
Reformed Church in Zimbabwe
Reformed Church of Equatorial Guinea*
Reformed Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa [South Africa]
Sudan Council of Churches**
The South African Council of Churches**
Union of Baptist Churches of Cameroon
United Church of Zambia
United Congregational Church of Southern Africa [South Africa]
United Evangelical Church of Angola*
Zimbabwe Council of Churches**
ASIA
Anglican Church of Australia
Anglican-Episcopal Church in Japan
Associated Churches of Christ in New Zealand
Australian Council of Churches**
Bangladesh Baptist Sangha
Baptist Union of New Zealand
Batak Christian Community Church [Indonesia]*
Batak Protestant Christian Church [Indonesia]
Bengal-Orissa-Bihar Baptist Convention [India]*
China Christian Council
Christian Church of Central Sulawesi [Indonesia]
Christian Evangelical Church in Minahasa [Indonesia]
Christian Protestant Angkola Church [Indonesia]*
Christian Protestant Church in Indonesia
Church of Bangladesh*
Church of Ceylon [Sri Lanka]
Church of Christ in China, The Hong Kong Council
Church of Christ in Thailand
Church of North India
Church of Pakistan
Church of South India
Church of the Province of Burma [Myanmar]
Church of the Province of New Zealand
Churches of Christ in Australia
Communion of Churches in Indonesia**
Conference of Churches in Aotearoa-New Zealand**
Council of Churches of Malaysia**
East Java Christian Church
Evangelical Christian Church in Halmahera [Indonesia]
350 Signs of the Spirit
Evangelical Christian Church in Irian Jaya [Indonesia]
Evangelical Church of Sangir Talaud [Indonesia]
Evangelical Methodist Church in the Philippines
Hong Kong Christian Council**
Indonesian Christian Church (GKI)
Indonesian Christian Church (HKI)
Japanese Orthodox Church
Javanese Christian Churches
Kalimantan Evangelical Church [Indonesia]
Karo Batak Protestant Church [Indonesia]
Korean Christian Church in Japan*
Korean Methodist Church
Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church [India]
Maori Council of Churches [New Zealand]**
Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar [India]
Methodist Church in India
Methodist Church in Malaysia
Methodist Church in Singapore*
Methodist Church of New Zealand
Methodist Church [Sri Lanka]
Methodist Church, Upper Burma [Myanmar]
Myanmar Baptist Convention
Myanmar Council of Churches**
National Christian Council in Japan**
National Christian Council of Sri Lanka**
National Council of Churches in India**
National Council of Churches in Korea**
National Council of Churches in the Philippines**
National Council of Churches, Singapore**
Nias Protestant Christian Church [Indonesia]
Pasundan Christian Church [Indonesia]
Philippine Episcopal Church
Philippine Independent Church
Presbyterian Church in Taiwan
Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea
Presbyterian Church of Korea
Presbyterian Church of New Zealand
Protestant Christian Church in Bali*
Protestant Church in Indonesia
Protestant Church in Sabah [Malaysia]*
Protestant Church in the Moluccas [Indonesia]
Protestant Evangelical Church in Timor [Indonesia]
Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches [India]
Simalungun Protestant Christian Church [Indonesia]
Additional Documents 351
Toraja Church [Indonesia]
United Church of Christ in Japan
United Church of Christ in the Philippines
United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India
United Presbyterian Church of Pakistan
Uniting Church in Australia
CARIBBEAN
Church in the Province of the West Indies [Barbados]
Ecumenical Council of Cuba**
Jamaica Council of Churches**
Methodist Church in Cuba*
Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the Americas [Antigua]
Moravian Church, Eastern West Indies Province [Antigua]
Moravian Church in Jamaica
Moravian Church in Suriname
Presbyterian Church in Trinidad
Presbyterian Reformed Church in Cuba*
St Vincent Christian Council**
United Church of Jamaica and Grand Cayman
United Protestant Church [Netherlands Antilles]*
EUROPE
Action of Churches Together in Scotland**
Armenian Apostolic Church
Autocephalic Orthodox Church in Poland
Baptist Union of Denmark
Baptist Union of Great Britain
Baptist Union of Hungary
Bulgarian Orthodox Church
Catholic Diocese of the Old Catholics in Germany
Church in Wales
Church of England
Church of Greece
Church of Ireland
Church of Norway
Church of Scotland
Church of Sweden
Congregational Union of Scotland
Council of Christian Churches in Germany**
352 Signs of the Spirit
Council of Churches for Britain and Ireland**
Council of Churches in the Netherlands**
Cytun — Churches Together in Wales**
Czechoslovak Ecumenical Council of Churches**
Czechoslovak Hussite Church
Ecumenical Council of Churches in Austria**
Ecumenical Council of Churches in Hungary**
Ecumenical Council of Churches in Yugoslavia**
Ecumenical Council of Denmark**
Ecumenical Council of Finland**
Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church
European Continental Province of the Moravian Church — Western District [Bad
Boll, Germany]
Evangelical Baptist Union of Italy*
Evangelical Christian Baptist Union of the USSR
Evangelical Church in Germany
Church of Lippe
Evangelical Church in Baden
Evangelical Church in Berlin-Brandenburg
Evangelical Church in Hesse and Nassau
Evangelical Church in Wiirttemberg
Evangelical Church of Bremen
Evangelical Church of Hesse Electorate- Waldeck
Evangelical Church of the Palatinate
Evangelical Church of the Rhineland
Evangelical Church of Westphalia
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria+
+ This church is directly a member of the World Council of Churches in accordance with the
resolution of the general synod of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany,
dated 27 January 1949, which recommended that the member churches of the United
Evangelical Lutheran Church should make the following declaration to the Council of the
Evangelical Church in Germany concerning their relation to the World Council of Churches :
“The Evangelical Church in Germany has made it clear through its constitution that it is
a federation (Bund) of confessionally determined churches. Moreover, the conditions of
membership of the World Council of Churches have been determined at the assembly at
Amsterdam. Therefore, this Evangelical Lutheran Church declares concerning its member¬
ship in the World Council of Churches:
(a) It is represented in the World Council as a church of the Evangelical Lutheran confession.
( b ) Representatives which it sends to the World Council are to be identified as Evangelical
Lutherans.
(c) Within the limits of the competence of the Evangelical Church in Germany it is
represented in the World Council through the intermediary of the Council of the
Evangelical Church in Germany.”
Additional Documents 353
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brunswick"^
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oldenburg
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hanover +
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Schaumburg-Lippe+
Evangelical Reformed Church in Northwestern Germany
North Elbian Evangelical Lutheran Church +
Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren [Czechoslovakia]
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg and Helvetic Confessions [Austria]
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Poland
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Romania
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession of Alsace and Lorraine [France]
Evangelical Lutheran Church [Netherlands]
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
Evangelical Lutheran Church of France
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia
Evangelical Methodist Church of Italy
Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Portugal*
Evangelical Synodal Presbyterial Church of the Augsburg Confession in Romania
Federation of Evangelical Churches [Germany]
Evangelical Church of Anhalt
Evangelical Church of the Gorlitz Region
Evangelical Church of the Province of Saxony
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Thuringia
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Mecklenburg
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Saxony
Pomeranian Evangelical Church
Georgian Orthodox Church
Greek Evangelical Church
Lusitanian Catholic- Apostolic Evangelical Church [Portugal]*
Lutheran Church in Hungary
Mennonite Church [Germany]
Mennonite Church in the Netherlands
Methodist Church [UK]
Methodist Church in Ireland
Mission Covenant Church of Sweden
Moravian Church [Herrnhut, Germany]
Moravian Church in Great Britain and Ireland
Netherlands Reformed Church
Old Catholic Church of Austria
Old Catholic Church of Switzerland
Old Catholic Church of the Netherlands
Old Catholic Mariavite Church in Poland
354 Signs of the Spirit
Orthodox Church of Czechoslovakia
Orthodox Church of Finland
Polish Catholic Church in Poland
Polish Ecumenical Council**
Presbyterian Church of Wales
Reformed Christian Church in Slovakia [Czechoslovakia]
Reformed Christian Church in Yugoslavia
Reformed Church in Hungary
Reformed Church of Alsace and Lorraine [France]
Reformed Church of France
Reformed Church of Romania
Reformed Churches in the Netherlands
Remonstrant Brotherhood [Netherlands]
Romanian Orthodox Church
Russian Orthodox Church
Scottish Episcopal Church
Serbian Orthodox Church [Yugoslavia]
Silesian Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession [Czechoslovakia]
Slovak Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession [Czechoslovakia]
Slovak Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Yugoslavia
Spanish Evangelical Church
Spanish Reformed Episcopal Church*
Swedish Ecumenical Council**
Swiss Protestant Church Federation
Union of Welsh Independents
United Free Church of Scotland
United Protestant Church of Belgium
United Reformed Church in the United Kingdom
Waldensian Church
LATIN AMERICA
Baptist Association of El Salvador*
Baptist Convention of Nicaragua
Bolivian Evangelical Lutheran Church*
Church of God [Argentina]*
Church of the Disciples of Christ [Argentina]*
Episcopal Church of Brazil
Evangelical Church of Lutheran Confession in Brazil
Evangelical Church of the River Plate [Argentina]
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chile
Evangelical Methodist Church in Bolivia*
Additional Documents 355
Evangelical Methodist Church in Uruguay*
Evangelical Methodist Church of Argentina
Evangelical Methodist Church of Costa Rica*
Free Pentecostal Mission Church of Chile
Latin American Reformed Church [Brazil]
Methodist Church in Brazil
Methodist Church of Chile*
Methodist Church of Mexico
Methodist Church of Peru*
Moravian Church in Nicaragua
National Council of Christian Churches in Brazil**
Pentecostal Church of Chile
Pentecostal Mission Church [Chile]
Salvadorean Lutheran Synod*
United Evangelical Lutheran Church [Argentina]*
United Presbyterian Church of Brazil*
MIDDLE EAST
Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East [Iraq]
Armenian Apostolic Church [Lebanon]
Church of Cyprus
Coptic Orthodox Church [Egypt]
Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East
Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa [Egypt]
Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East [Syria]
Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem
National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon [Lebanon]
Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East
Synod of the Evangelical Church of Iran
Synod of the Nile of the Evangelical Church [Egypt]
Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East [Lebanon]
NORTH AMERICA
African Methodist Episcopal Church [USA]
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church [USA]
American Baptist Churches in the USA
Anglican Church of Canada
Canadian Council of Churches**
356 Signs of the Spirit
Canadian Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) [Canada]
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) [USA]
Christian Methodist Episcopal Church [USA]
Church of the Brethren [USA]
Episcopal Church [USA]
Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church [Canada]
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia in Exile [Canada]
Hungarian Reformed Church in America
International Council of Community Churches [USA]
International Evangelical Church [USA]
Moravian Church in America (Northern Province)
Moravian Church in America (Southern Province)
National Baptist Convention of America
National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.
National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA**
Orthodox Church in America
Polish National Catholic Church [USA]
Presbyterian Church in Canada
Presbyterian Church (USA)
Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. [USA]
Reformed Church in America
Religious Society of Friends: Friends General Conference and Friends United
Meeting [USA]
United Church of Canada
United Church of Christ [USA]
United Methodist Church [USA]
PACIFIC
Church of Melanesia [Solomon Islands]
General Assembly, Congregational Christian Church in American Samoa
Congregational Christian Church in Samoa
Cook Islands Christian Church
Evangelical Church in New Caledonia and the Loyalty Isles [New Caledonia]
Evangelical Church of French Polynesia
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea
Kiribati Protestant Church
Methodist Church in Fiji
Methodist Church in Samoa
Additional Documents 357
Methodist Church in Tonga
National Council of Churches of American Samoa**
Papua New Guinea Council of Churches**
Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu
Tonga National Council of Churches**
Tuvalu Christian Church
United Church in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands
358 Signs of the Spirit
7.13. CONSTITUTION AND RULES
Constitution
I. Basis
The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches which confess
the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Saviour according to the scriptures and
therefore seek to fulfill together their common calling to the glory of the
one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
II. Membership
Those churches shall be eligible for membership in the World Council of
Churches which express their agreement with the Basis upon which the
Council is founded and satisfy such criteria as the Assembly or the
Central Committee may prescribe. Election to membership shall be by a
two-thirds vote of the member churches represented at the Assembly,
each member church having one vote. Any application for membership
between meetings of the Assembly may be considered by the Central
Committee; if the application is supported by a two-thirds vote of the
members of the Committee present and voting, this action shall be
communicated to the churches that are members of the World Council of
Churches, and unless objection is received from more than one-third of
the member churches within six months the applicant shall be declared
elected.
III. Functions and purposes
The World Council of Churches is constituted for the following functions
and purposes :
1) to call the churches to the goal of visible unity in one faith and in one
eucharistic fellowship expressed in worship and in common life in
Christ, and to advance towards that unity in order that the world may
believe ;
2) to facilitate the common witness of the churches in each place and in
all places;
3) to support the churches in their worldwide missionary and evangelis¬
tic task;
4) to express the common concern of the churches in the service of
human need, the breaking down of barriers between people, and the
promotion of one human family in justice and peace ;
Additional Documents 359
5) to foster the renewal of the churches in unity, worship, mission and
service ;
6) to establish and maintain relations with national councils and regional
conferences of churches, world confessional bodies and other ecu¬
menical organizations ;
7) to carry on the work of the world movements for Faith and Order and
Life and Work and of the International Missionary Council and the
World Council on Christian Education.
IV. Authority
The World Council shall offer counsel and provide opportunity for united
action in matters of common interest.
It may take action on behalf of constituent churches only in such matters
as one or more of them may commit to it and only on behalf of such
churches.
The World Council shall not legislate for the churches ; nor shall it act for
them in any manner except as indicated above or as may hereafter be
specified by the constituent churches.
V. Organization
The World Council shall discharge its functions through: an Assembly, a
Central Committee, an Executive Committee, and other subordinate
bodies as may be established.
1 . The Assembly
a) The Assembly shall be the supreme legislative body governing the
World Council and shall ordinarily meet at seven-year intervals.
b) The Assembly shall be composed of official representatives of the
member churches, known as delegates, elected by the member chur¬
ches.
c) The Assembly shall have the following functions :
1) to elect the President or Presidents of the World Council;
2) to elect not more than 145 members of the Central Committee
from among the delegates which the member churches have
elected to the Assembly ;
3) to elect not more than 5 members from among the representatives
which the associate member churches have elected to the As¬
sembly ;
360 Signs of the Spirit
4) to determine the policies of the World Council and to review
programmes undertaken to implement policies previously
adopted ;
5) to delegate to the Central Committee specific functions, except to
amend this Constitution and to allocate the membership of the
Central Committee granted by this Constitution to the Assembly
exclusively.
2. The Central Committee
a) The Central Committee shall be responsible for implementing the
policies adopted by the Assembly and shall exercise the functions of
the Assembly itself delegated to it by the Assembly between its
meetings, except its power to amend this Constitution and to allocate
or alter the allocation of the membership of the Central Committee.
b) The Central Committee shall be composed of the President or Pres¬
idents of the World Council and not more than 150 members.
1) Not more than 145 members shall be elected by the Assembly
from among the delegates whom the member churches have
elected to the Assembly. Such members shall be distributed
among the member churches by the Assembly giving due regard
to the size of the churches and confessions represented in the
Council, the number of churches of each confession which are
members of the Council, reasonable geographical and cultural
balance, and adequate representation of the major interests of the
Council.
2) Not more than 5 members shall be elected by the Assembly from
among the representatives whom the associate member churches
have elected to the Assembly.
3) A vacancy in the membership of the Central Committee, occur¬
ring between meetings of the Assembly, shall be filled by the
Central Committee itself after consultation with the church of
which the person previously occupying the position was a
member.
c) The Central Committee shall have, in addition to the general powers
set out in (a) above, the following powers:
1) to elect its Moderator and Vice-Moderator or Vice-Moderators
from among the members of the Central Committee;
2) to elect the Executive Committee from among the members of the
Central Committee;
Additional Documents 361
3) to elect committees and boards and to approve the election or
appointment of working groups and commissions;
4) within the policies adopted by the Assembly, to approve program¬
mes and determine priorities among them and to review and
supervise their execution ;
5) to adopt the budget of the World Council and secure its financial
support ;
6) to elect the General Secretary and to elect or appoint or to make
provision for the election or appointment of all members of the
staff of the World Council ;
7) to plan for the meetings of the Assembly, making provision for the
conduct of its business, for worship and study, and for common
Christian commitment. The Central Committee shall determine
the number of delegates to the Assembly and allocate them among
the member churches giving due regard to the size of the churches
and confessions represented in the Council ; the number of chur¬
ches of each confession which are members of the Council;
reasonable geographical and cultural balance ; the desired distribu¬
tion among church officials, parish ministers and lay persons;
among men, women and young people; and participation by
persons whose special knowledge and experience will be needed ;
8) to delegate specific functions to the Executive Committee or to
other bodies or persons.
3. Rules
The Assembly or the Central Committee may adopt and amend Rules not
inconsistent with this Constitution for the conduct of the business of the
World Council.
4. By-laws
The Assembly or the Central Committee may adopt and amend By-Laws
not inconsistent with this Constitution for the functioning of its commit¬
tees, boards, working groups and commissions.
5. Quorum
A quorum for the conduct of any business by the Assembly or the Central
Committee shall be one-half of its membership.
362 Signs of the Spirit
VI. Other ecumenical Christian organizations
1. Such world confessional bodies and such world ecumenical organiza¬
tions as may be designated by the Central Committee may be invited to
send non-voting representatives to the Assembly and to the Central
Committee, in such numbers as the Central Committee shall determine.
2. Such national councils and regional conferences of churches, other
Christian councils and missionary councils as may be designated by the
Central Committee may be invited to send non-voting representatives to
the Assembly and to the Central Committee, in such numbers as the
Central Committee shall determine.
VII. Amendments
The Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the delegates to
the Assembly present and voting, provided that the proposed amendment
shall have been reviewed by the Central Committee, and notice of it sent
to the member churches not less than six months before the meeting of the
Assembly. The Central Committee itself, as well as the member chur¬
ches, shall have the right to propose such amendment.
Rules
I. Membership of the Council
Members of the Council are those churches which, having constituted the
Council or having been admitted to membership, continue in member¬
ship. The term “church” as used in this article includes an association,
convention or federation of autonomous churches. A group of churches
within a country or region may determine to participate in the World
Council of Churches as one church. The General Secretary shall maintain
the official list of member churches noting any special arrangement
accepted by the Assembly or Central Committee.
The following rules shall pertain to membership.
1. Application
A church which wishes to become a member of the World Council of
Churches shall apply in writing to the General Secretary.
Additional Documents 363
2. Processing
The General Secretary shall submit all such applications to the Central
Committee (see Art. II of the Constitution) together with such informa¬
tion as he or she considers necessary to enable the Assembly or the
Central Committee to make a decision on the application.
3. Criteria
In addition to expressing agreement with the Basis upon which the
Council is founded (Art. I of the Constitution), an applicant must satisfy
the following criteria to be eligible for membership :
a) A church must be able to take the decision to apply for membership
without obtaining the permission of any other body or person.
b) A church must produce evidence of sustained independent life and
organization.
c) A church must recognize the essential interdependence of the chur¬
ches, particularly those of the same confession, and must practise
constructive ecumenical relations with other churches within its
country or region.
d) A church must ordinarily have at least 25,000 members.
4. Associate membership
A church which would be denied membership solely under Rule 1.3(d)
but which is otherwise eligible may be elected to associate membership in
the same manner as member churches are elected. A church applying for
associate membership must ordinarily have at least 10,000 members. An
associate member church may participate in all activities of the Council ;
its representatives to the Assembly shall have the right to speak but not to
vote. Associate member churches shall be listed separately on the official
list maintained by the General Secretary.
5. Consultation
Before admitting a church to membership or associate membership, the
appropriate world confessional body or bodies and national council or
regional conference of churches shall be consulted.
6. Resignation
A church which desires to resign its membership in the Council can do so
at any time. A church which has resigned but desires to rejoin the Council
must again apply for membership.
364 Signs of the Spirit
II. Responsibilities of membership
Membership in the World Council of Churches signifies faithfulness to
the Basis of the Council, fellowship in the Council, participation in the
life and work of the Council and commitment to the ecumenical move¬
ment as integral to the mission of the church. Churches which are
members of the World Council of Churches are expected to:
1) appoint delegates to the WCC Assembly, the major policy-making
body of the Council, and participate in council with other member
churches in shaping the ecumenical vision and the ecumenical agenda
and to assume responsibility for the costs of such representation ;
2) inform the WCC of their primary concerns, priorities, activities and
constructive criticisms as they may relate to WCC programmes as
well as any matters which they feel need expression of ecumenical
solidarity or which merit the attention of the WCC and/or churches
around the world ;
3) communicate the meaning of ecumenical commitment, to foster and
encourage ecumenical relations and action at all levels of their church
life and to pursue ecumenical fellowship locally, nationally,
regionally and internationally;
4) interpret both the broader ecumenical movement and the WCC, its
nature, purpose and programmes throughout their membership as a
normal part of their own reporting to their constituency ;
5) encourage participation in WCC programmes, activities and meet¬
ings, including:
a) to propose persons who could make a particular contribution to
and/or participate in the various committees of the WCC, meet¬
ings and consultations, WCC programmes and publications and
staff ;
b) to establish links between their own programme offices and the
appropriate WCC programme offices; and
c) to submit materials for and to promote WCC communications
resources: books, periodicals and other publications;
6) respond to decisions of the Central Committee which call for study,
action or other follow-up by the member churches as well as respond
to requests on matters referred by the Central or Executive Committee
or the General Secretary for prayer, advice, information or opinion;
7) make an annual contribution to the general budget and programmes of
the WCC commensurate with their resources as part of regular and
intentional negotiation with the Council as to responsibilities of
membership.
Additional Documents 365
III. Presidium
1 . The Assembly shall elect one or more Presidents but the number of
Presidents shall not exceed eight.
2. The term of office of a President shall end at the adjournment of the
next Assembly following his or her election.
3. A President who has been elected by the Assembly shall be ineligible
for immediate re-election when his or her term of office ends.
4. The President or Presidents shall be ex officio members of the Central
Committee and of the Executive Committee.
5. Should a vacancy occur in the Presidium between Assemblies,
the Central Committee may elect a President to fill the unexpired
term.
IY. The Assembly
1. Composition of the assembly
a) Persons with the right to speak and to vote
The Assembly shall be composed of official representatives of the
member churches, known as delegates, elected by the member chur¬
ches, with the right to speak and with the sole rights to vote and to
propose and second motions and amendments.
1) The Central Committee shall determine the number of delegates to
the Assembly well in advance of its meeting.
2) The Central Committee shall determine the percentage of the
delegates, not less than 85 per cent, who shall be both nominated
and elected by the member churches. Each member church shall
be entitled to a minimum of one delegate. The Central Commit¬
tee shall allocate the other delegates in this part among the
member churches giving due regard to the size of the churches
and confessions represented in the Council, and the number of
churches of each confession which are members of the Council,
and reasonable geographical and cultural balance. The Central
Committee shall recommend the proper distribution within dele¬
gations among church officials, parish ministers and lay persons;
and among men, women and young people. The Central Com¬
mittee may make provision for the election by the member
churches of alternate delegates who shall serve only in place of
such delegates who are unable to attend meetings of the
Assembly.
366 Signs of the Spirit
3) The remaining delegates, not more than 15 per cent, shall be
elected by certain member churches upon nomination of the
Central Committee as follows:
1 . If the Moderator or any Vice-Moderator of the Central Com¬
mittee is not elected a delegate within the provisions of
paragraph 2 above, the Central Committee shall nominate such
officer to the member church of which such officer is a
member. Paragraphs 5 and 6 below apply to such nominees.
2. The Central Committee shall determine the categories of addi¬
tional delegates necessary to achieve balance in respect of:
a) the varied sizes of churches and confessions ;
b) the historical significance, future potential or geographical
location and cultural background of particular churches, as
well as the special importance of united churches ;
c) the presence of persons whose special knowledge and
experience will be necessary to the Assembly ;
d) proportions of women, youth, lay persons and local pas¬
tors.
3. The Central Committee shall invite the member churches to
propose the names of persons in the categories so determined
whom the churches would be willing to elect, if nominated by
the Central Committee.
4. The Central Committee shall nominate particular individuals
from the list so compiled to the member church of which each
individual is a member.
5. If that member church elects the said nominee, he or she shall
become an additional delegate of that member church.
6. The member churches shall not elect alternate delegates for
such delegates.
Member churches are encouraged to consult regionally in the
selection of the delegates described in paragraphs 2 and 3 above,
provided that every delegate is elected by the church of which he
or she is a member in accordance with its own procedures.
b) Persons with the right to speak but not to vote
In addition to the delegates, who alone have the right to vote, the
following categories of persons may attend meetings of the Assembly
with the right to speak:
1) Presidents and Officers: Any President or Presidents of the
Council or Moderator or Vice-Moderator or Vice-Moderators of
Additional Documents 367
the Central Committee who have not been elected delegates by
their churches.
2) Members of the retiring Central Committee : Any members of the
retiring Central Committee who have not been elected delegates
by their churches.
3) Representatives of associate member churches : Each associate
member church may elect one representative.
4) Advisers : The Central Committee may invite a small number of
persons who have a special contribution to make to the delibera¬
tions of the Assembly or who have participated in the activities of
the World Council. Before an invitation is extended to an adviser
who is a member of a member church, that church shall be
consulted.
5) Delegated representatives : The Central Committee may invite
persons officially designated as Delegated Representatives by
organizations with which the World Council maintains relation¬
ship.
6) Delegated observers : The Central Committee may invite persons
officially designated as Delegated Observers by non-member
churches.
c) Persons without the right to speak or to vote
The Central Committee may invite to attend the meetings of the
Assembly without the right to speak or to vote :
1) Observers: Persons identified with organizations with which the
World Council maintains relationship which are not represented
by Delegated Representatives or with non-member churches
which are not represented by Delegated Observers.
2) Guests: Persons named individually.
2. Presiding officers and committees
a) At the first business session of the Assembly the Central Committee
shall present its proposals for the moderatorship of the Assembly and
for the membership of the Business Committee of the Assembly and
make any other proposals, including the appointment of other com¬
mittees, their membership and functions, for the conduct of the
business of the Assembly as it sees fit.
b) At the first or second business session, additional nominations for
membership of any committee may be made in writing by any six
concurring delegates.
368 Signs of the Spirit
c) Election shall be by ballot unless the Assembly shall otherwise
determine.
3. Agenda
The agenda of the Assembly shall be proposed by the Central Committee
to the first business session of the Assembly. Any delegate may move to
amend the agenda by including an item or items of new business or by
proposing any other change, which he or she may have previously
proposed to the Central Committee or to the Business Committee after its
election. New business or any change may be proposed by the Business
Committee under Rule IV. 5(b) or by a delegate under Rule XV. 7.
4. Nominations Committee of the assembly
a) At an early session of the Assembly, the Assembly shall elect a
Nominations Committee, on which there shall be appropriate confes¬
sional, cultural, and geographical representation of the membership of
the Assembly and representation of the major interests of the World
Council.
b) The Nominations Committee in consultation with the officers of the
World Council and the Executive Committee shall make nominations
for the following :
1) the President or Presidents of the World Council of Churches;
2) not more than 145 members of the Central Committee from
among the delegates which the member churches have elected to
the Assembly;
3) not more than 5 members of the Central Committe from among
the representatives which the associated member churches have
elected to the Assembly ;
c) In making nominations, the Nominations Committee shall have
regard to the following principles :
1) the personal qualifications of the individual for the task for which
he or she is to be nominated;
2) fair and adequate confessional representation ;
3) fair and adequate geographical and cultural representation ;
4) fair and adequate representation of the major interests of the
World Council.
The Nominations Committee shall satisfy itself as to the general
acceptability of the nominations to the churches to which the
nominees belong.
Additional Documents 369
Not more than seven persons from any one member church shall be
nominated as member of the Central Committee.
The Nominations Committee shall secure adequate representation of
lay persons — men, women and young people — so far as the
composition of the Assembly makes this possible.
d) The Nominations Committee shall present its nominations to the
Assembly. Additional nominations may be made by any six delegates
concurring in writing, provided that each such nominee shall be
proposed in opposition to a particular nominee of the Nominations
Committee.
e) Election shall be by ballot unless the Assembly shall otherwise
determine.
5. Business Committee of the assembly
a) The Business Committee of the Assembly shall consist of the Mod¬
erator and Vice-Moderator or Vice-Moderators of the Central Com¬
mittee, the General Secretary, the Presidents of the Council, the
moderators of sections and committees (who may appoint sub¬
stitutes), and ten delegates who are not members of the outgoing
Central Committee, who shall be elected in accordance with Rule
IV. 2.
b) The Business Committee shall:
1) coordinate the day-to-day business of the Assembly and may
make proposals for rearrangement, modification, addition, dele¬
tion or substitution of items included on the agenda. Any such
proposal shall be presented to the Assembly at the earliest conve¬
nient time by a member of the Business Committee with reasons
for the proposed change. After opportunity for debate on the
proposal, the Moderator shall put the following question to the
Assembly : Shall the Assembly approve the proposal of the Busi¬
ness Committee? A majority of the delegates present and voting
shall determine the question;
2) consider any item of business or change in the agenda proposed by
a delegate under Rule XV. 7 ;
3) determine whether the Assembly sits in general, business or
deliberative session as defined in Rule XV ;
4) receive information from and review the reports of other com¬
mittees in order to consider how best the Assembly can act on
them.
370 Signs of the Spirit
6. Other committees of the Assembly
a) Any other committee of the Assembly shall consist of such members
and shall have such powers and duties as are proposed by the Central
Committee at the first business session or by the Business Committee
after its election and accepted by the Assembly.
b) Any such committee shall, unless the Assembly otherwise directs,
inform the Business Committee about its work and shall make its
report or recommendations to the Assembly.
V. Central Committee
1. Membership
a) The Central Committee shall consist of the President or Presidents of
the World Council together with not more than 150 members elected
by the Assembly (see Constitution, Art. V.2(b)).
b) Any member church, not already represented, may send one represen¬
tative to the meetings of the Central Committee. Such a representative
shall have the right to speak but not to vote.
c) If a regularly elected member of the Central Committee is unable to
attend a meeting, the church to which the absent member belongs
shall have the right to send a substitute, provided that the substitute is
ordinarily resident in the country where the absent member resides.
Such a substitute shall have the right to speak and to vote. If a
member, or his or her substitute, is absent without excuse for two
consecutive meetings, the position shall be declared vacant, and the
Central Committee shall fill the vacancy according to the provisions
of Article V.2 (b) (3) of the Constitution.
d) Moderators and Vice-Moderators of committees and boards who are
not members of the Central Committee may attend meetings of the
Central Committee and shall have the right to speak but not to
vote.
e) Advisers for the Central Committee may be appointed by the Execu¬
tive Committee after consultation with the churches of which they are
members. They shall have the right to speak but not to vote.
f) Members of the staff of the World Council appointed by the Central
Committee as specified under Rule IX. 3 shall have the right to attend
the sessions of the Central Committee unless on any occasion the
Central Committee shall otherwise determine. When present they
shall have the right to speak but not to vote.
Additional Documents 371
g) The newly elected Central Committee shall be convened by the
General Secretary during or immediately after the meeting of the
Assembly.
2. Officers
a) The Central Committee shall elect from among its members a Mod¬
erator and a Vice-Moderator or Vice-Moderators to serve for such
periods as it shall determine.
b) The General Secretary of the World Council of Churches shall be ex
officio secretary of the Central Committee.
3. Nominations Committee of the Central Committee
a) The Central Committee shall elect a Nominations Committee which
shall :
1) nominate persons from among the members of the Central Com¬
mittee for the offices of Moderator and Vice-Moderator or Vice-
Moderators of the Central Committee;
2) nominate a person for the office of President to fill the unexpired
term should a vacancy occur in the Presidium between Assem¬
blies ;
3) nominate members of the Executive Committee of the Central
Committee ;
4) nominate members of committees and boards and where appropri¬
ate their Moderators ;
5) make recommendations regarding the approval of the election of
members of commissions and working groups ;
6) make recommendations regarding the election of persons pro¬
posed for staff positions under Rule IX. 3.
In making nominations as provided for by (1) to (4) above the
Nominations Committee of the Central Committee shall have
regard to principles set out in Rule IV. 4. (c) and, in applying
principles 2, 3 and 4 to the nomination of members of committees
and boards, shall consider the representative character of the
combined membership of all such committees. Any member of
the Central Committee may make additional nominations, pro¬
vided that each such nominee shall be proposed in opposition to a
particular nominee of the Nominations Committee.
b) Election shall be by ballot unless the Committee shall otherwise
determine.
372 Signs of the Spirit
4. Meetings
a) The Central Committee shall ordinarily meet once every year. The
Executive Committee may call an extraordinary meeting of the
Central Committee whenever it deems such a meeting desirable and
shall do so upon the request in writing of one-third or more of the
members of the Central Committee.
b) The General Secretary shall take all possible steps to ensure that there
be adequate representation present from each of the main confessions
and from the main geographical areas of the membership of the World
Council of Churches and of the major interests of the World Council.
c) The Central Committee shall determine the date and place of its own
meetings and of the meetings of the Assembly.
5. Functions
In exercising the powers set forth in the Constitution the Central Commit¬
tee shall have the following specific functions:
a) In the conduct of its business, the Central Committee shall elect the
following committeees:
1) Finance Committee (a standing committee);
2) Nominations Committee (appointed at each meeting) ;
3) Reference Committee or Committees (appointed as needed at each
meeting to advise the Central Committee on any other questions
arising which call for special consideration or action by the Central
Committee, except that recommendations from committees of the
programme units may be considered by the Central Committee
without prior consideration by a Reference Committee).
b) It shall adopt the budget of the Council.
c) It shall deal with matters referred to it by member churches.
d) It shall organize programme units and specialized units and regional
offices or representations as may be necessary to carry out the work of
the World Council of Churches. It shall elect a committee for each
programme unit, a board for each specialized unit, and approve the
election or appointment of a commission or a working group for each
sub-unit of the programme units and receive reports from them at each
of its meetings. It shall determine the general policy to be followed in
the work of each programme unit, each specialized unit, and the
Department of Finance and Central Services.
e) It shall report to the Assembly the actions it has taken during its period
of office and shall not be discharged until its report has been received.
Additional Documents 373
VI. Executive Committee
1. Membership
a) The Executive Committee shall consist of the President or Presidents
of the World Council, the Moderator and Vice-Moderator or Vice-
Moderators of the Central Committee and the Moderator of the
Finance Committee, all ex officio, and not more than 16 nor less than
14 other members of the Central Committee.
b) If a member of the Executive Committee is unable to attend, he/she
has the right — provided that the Moderator agrees — to send a
member of the Central Committee as a substitute. Such a substitute
shall — as far as possible — be of the same region and church family,
and shall have the right to speak and to vote.
c) The Moderator of the Central Committee shall also be the Moderator
of the Executive Committee.
d) The General Secretary of the World Council of Churches shall be ex
officio the secretary of the Executive Committee.
e) The officers may invite other persons to attend a meeting of the Executive
Committee for consultation, always having in mind the need for preserv¬
ing a due balance of the confessions and of the geographical areas and
cultural backgrounds, and of the major interests of the World Council.
2. Functions
a) The Executive Committee shall be accountable to the Central Commit¬
tee, and shall present to the Central Committee at its next meeting a
report of its work for approval. The Central Committee shall consider
such a report and take such action in regard to it as it thinks fit.
b) Between meetings of the Central Committee, the Executive Commit¬
tee shall carry out decisions of the Central Committee and implement
policies adopted by it. The Executive Committee shall not make
decisions on policy except in those matters specifically delegated to
the Executive Committee by the Central Committee and in circum¬
stances of special emergency when it may take provisional decisions.
The Executive Committee’s power to make public statements is
limited and defined in Rule X.5.
c) The Central Committee may by specific action provide for the
election of staff to those positions specified in Rule IX. 3 by the
Executive Committee which should report these actions to the next
meeting of the Central Committee.
d) The Executive Committee shall supervise the operation of the budget
and may, if necessary, impose limitations on expenditures.
374 Signs of the Spirit
3. Elections
a) The Central Committee shall elect an Executive Committee at its first
meeting after the Assembly.
b) At its first meeting after the Assembly, the Central Committee shall
also make a schedule for rotation of all non- ex officio members of the
Executive Committee. This rotation shall be made in such a way that
no rotation takes place before two years after an Assembly and in the
two years before the next Assembly.
c) Outgoing members of the Executive are not eligible for reelection till
after the next Assembly.
d) The Central Committee may elect already at its first meeting succes¬
sors for outgoing members of the Executive Committee.
e) Vacancies on the Executive Committee shall be filled by the next
meeting of the Central Committee.
VII. Programme units, specialized units and departments
1 . There shall be three programme units :
— Programme Unit I : Faith and Witness
— Programme Unit II : Justice and Service
— Programme Unit III : Education and Renewal
The Central Committee shall determine the size and composition of the
committee for each programme unit (so that at least two-thirds of the
members of each programme unit committee are also members of the
Central Committee) and elect the members of each committee and its
Moderator. Each committee shall propose, for consideration by the Central
Committee, by-laws for the conduct of the work of the programme unit,
including a statement of the aim and functions of the unit, a description of
the sub-units into which the unit will be divided, if any, and the allocation
of functions among them, provision for a working group or commission
related to each sub-unit, and such other materials as it deems desirable.
2. There shall be two specialized units:
a) Library ;
b) Ecumenical Institute, including its Graduate School.
The Central Committee shall determine the size and composition of the
board for each specialized unit and elect the members of each board. Each
board may propose for consideration by the Central Committee by-laws
for the conduct of the work of the specialized unit.
3. There shall be a Department of Finance and Central Services and a
Department of Communication. The Central Committee shall determine
the size and composition of the committee for the Department of Com¬
munication and shall elect the members of it.
Additional Documents 375
VIII. Finance Committee of Central Committee
1 . The Finance Committee of the Central Committee shall consist of not
less than nine members, including:
a) a Moderator, who shall be a member of the Executive Committee ;
b) five members, who shall be members of the Central Committee, two
of whom shall also be members of the Executive Committee;
c) three members, one of whom shall be designated by each programme
unit committee from the membership of said Committee. Each pro¬
gramme unit committee may designate an alternate who may attend if
his or her principal is unable to be present.
2. The Committee shall have the following responsibilities and duties:
a) To present to the Central Committee :
1) in respect of the expired calendar year, an account of income and
expenditure of all operations of the World Council of Churches
and the balance sheet of the World Council of Churches at the end
of that year and its recommendation, based on review of the report
of the auditors, regarding approval and granting of discharge in
respect of the accounts of the World Council of Churches for the
completed period ;
2) in respect of the current year, a review of all financial operations ;
3) in respect of the succeeding calendar year, a budget covering all
activities of the World Council of Churches and its recommendations
regarding the approval of that budget in the light of its judgment as to
the adequacy of the provisions made for the expenditure involved in
the proposed programme of activities and the adequacy of reasonably
foreseeable income to finance the budget ; and
4) in respect of the year next following the succeeding calendar year
a provisional budget prepared on a similar basis together with
recommendations thereon as in (3) above.
b) To consider and make recommendations to the Central Committee on
all financial questions concerning the affairs of the World Council of
Churches, such as:
1) the appointment of the auditor or auditors who shall be appointed
annually by the Central Committee and shall be eligible for
reappointment ;
2) accounting procedures ;
3) investment policy and procedures ;
4) the basis of calculation of contributions from member churches ;
5) procedures and methods of raising funds.
376 Signs of the Spirit
IX. Staff
1 . The Central Committee shall elect or appoint or provide for the election
or appointment of persons of special competence to conduct the continu¬
ing operations of the World Council. These persons collectively consti¬
tute the staff.
2. The General Secretary shall be elected by the Central Committee. He or
she is the chief executive officer of the World Council. As such he or she is
the head of the staff. When the position of General Secretary becomes
vacant, the Executive Committee shall appoint an acting General Secretary.
3. A. In addition to the General Secretary, the Central Committee shall
itself elect one or more Deputy General Secretaries, and one or more
Assistant General Secretaries and the Directors of programme sub-units,
including the Ecumenical Institute and the Department of Communication.
3. B. The Executive Committee shall elect all other staff in grades 6-10
and shall report its actions to the Central Committee.
4. The Staff Executive Group shall consist of the General Secretary, the
Deputy General Secretary or Secretaries, the Assistant General Secretary
or Secretaries, the Directors of the sub-units, departments and the Ecumen¬
ical Institute and other staff members invited by the General Secretary.
Care shall be taken that there is confessional, cultural and geographical
balance in this group and that women and junior staff members are ade¬
quately represented. Additional places shall be available if needed to
achieve balance. The possible need for rotation of the members who do not
serve ex officio shall be examined at least annually, and in any event
following each meeting of the Central Committee. The General Secretary
shall be Moderator of the Staff Executive Group ; in his or her absence a
Deputy General Secretary shall act as Moderator. The Staff Executive
Group shall advise the General Secretary on the implementation of policy
established by the Central and Executive Committees and may, with his or
her approval, establish regular and ad hoc coordinating groups for particu¬
lar programme activities under the moderatorship of the General Secretary
or of a person appointed by him or her.
5 . The normal terms of appointment for the General Secretary and for the
Deputy and Assistant General Secretaries shall be five years. Unless some
other period is stated in the resolution making the appointment, the first
term of office for all other staff appointed by the Executive or Central
Committee shall normally be four years from the date of the appointment.
All appointments shall be reviewed one year before their expiration.
Additional Documents 377
Retirement shall normally be at sixty-five for both men and women or not
later than the end of the year in which a staff member reaches the age of
sixty-eight.
X. Public statements
1. In the performance of its functions, the Council through its Assembly or
through its Central Committee may publish statements upon any situation or
issue with which the Council or its constituent churches may be confronted.
2. While such statements may have great significance and influence as the
expression of the judgment or concern of so widely representative a
Christian body, yet their authority will consist only in the weight which
they carry by their own truth and wisdom, and the publishing of such
statements shall not be held to imply that the World Council as such has,
or can have, any constitutional authority over the constituent churches or
right to speak for them.
3. Any programme unit or sub-unit may recommend statements to the
Assembly or to the Central Committee for its consideration and action.
4. A programme unit or sub-unit may publish any statement which has been
approved by the Assembly or the Central Committee. When, in the judg¬
ment of a programme unit or sub-unit, a statement should be issued before
such approval can be obtained, it may do so provided the statement relates
to matters within its own field of concern and action, has received the
approval of the Moderator of the Central Committee and the General
Secretary, and the programme unit or sub-unit makes clear that neither the
World Council of Churches nor any of its member churches is committed
by the statement.
5. Between meetings of the Central Committee, when in their judgment
the situation requires, a statement may be issued, provided that such
statements are not contrary to the established policy of the Council, by:
1) the Executive Committee when meeting apart from the sessions of the
Central Committee; or
2) the Moderator and Vice-Moderator or Vice-Moderators of the Central
Committee and the General Secretary acting together; or
3) the Moderator of the Central Committee or the General Secretary on
his or her own authority respectively.
XI. Associate councils
1. Any national Christian council, national council of churches or
national ecumenical council, established for purposes of ecumenical
378 Signs of the Spirit
fellowship and activity, may be recognized by the Central Committee as
an associate council, provided:
a) the applicant council, knowing the Basis upon which the World
Council is founded, expresses its desire to cooperate with the World
Council towards the achievement of one or more of the functions and
purposes of this Council; and
b) the member churches of the World Council in the area have been
consulted prior to the action.
2. Each associate council :
a) shall be invited to send a delegated representative to the Assembly ;
b) may, at the discretion of the Central Committee, be invited to send an
adviser to meetings of the Central Committee ; and
c) shall be provided with copies of all general communications sent to all
member churches of the World Council of Churches.
3. In addition to communicating directly with its member churches, the
World Council shall inform each associate council regarding important
ecumenical developments and consult it regarding proposed World Coun¬
cil programmes in its country.
XII. Regional conferences
1. The World Council recognizes regional conferences of churches as
essential partners in the ecumenical enterprise.
2. Such regional conferences as may be designated by the Central
Committee :
a) shall be invited to send a delegated representative to the Assembly ;
b) shall be invited to send an adviser to meetings of the Central
Committee; and
c) shall be provided with copies of all general communications sent to all
member churches of the World Council of Churches.
3. In addition to communicating directly with its member churches, the
World Council shall inform each of these regional conferences regarding
important ecumenical developments and consult it regarding proposed
World Council programmes in its region.
XIII. World confessional bodies
Such world confessional bodies as may be designated by the Central Com¬
mittee shall be invited to send delegated representatives to the Assembly and
advisers to meetings of the Central Committee and the World Council will
take steps to develop cooperative working relationships with them.
Additional Documents 379
XIV. Legal provisions
1. The duration of the Council is unlimited.
2. The legal headquarters of the Council shall be at Grand-Saconnex,
Geneva, Switzerland. It is registered in Geneva as an association accord¬
ing to Art. 60ff. of the Swiss Civil Code. Regional offices may be
organized in different parts of the world by decision of the Central
Committee.
3. The World Council of Churches is legally represented by its Executive
Committee or by such persons as may be empowered by the Executive
Committee to represent it.
4. The World Council shall be legally bound by the joint signatures of two
of the following persons: the President or Presidents, the Moderator and
Vice-Moderator or Vice-Moderators of the Central Committee, the Gen¬
eral Secretary, the Deputy General Secretaries and the Assistant General
Secretary. Any two of the above-named persons shall have power to
authorize other persons, chosen by them, to act jointly or singly on behalf
of the World Council of Churches in fields circumscribed in the power of
attorney.
5. The Council shall obtain the means necessary for the pursuance of its
work from the contributions of its member churches and from donations
or bequests.
6. The Council shall not pursue commercial functions but it shall have the
right to act as an agency of interchurch aid and to publish literature in
connection with its aims. It is not entitled to distribute any surplus income
by way of profit or bonus among its members.
7. Members of the governing bodies of the Council or of the Assembly
shall have no personal liability with regard to the obligations or commit¬
ments of the Council. The commitments entered upon by the Council are
guaranteed solely by its own assets.
XV. Rules of debate
1. Categories of session
The Assembly shall sit either in general session (see Rule XV. 4), in
business session (see Rule XV. 5), or in deliberative session (see Rule
XV. 6). The Business Committee shall determine the category of session
appropriate to the matters to be considered.
380 Signs of the Spirit
2. Presiding officers
The presiding officers shall be proposed by the Central Committee at the
first business session and by the Business Committee after its election.
a) In general session one of the Presidents or the Moderator of the
Central Committee shall preside.
b) In business session the Moderator or a Vice-Moderator of the Central
Committee or some other member of the Central Committee shall
preside.
c) In deliberative session one of the Presidents, the Moderator or a Vice-
Moderator of the Central Committee or a delegate shall preside.
3. Formal responsibilities of the Moderator
The Moderator shall announce the opening, suspension or adjournment of
the Assembly, and shall announce at the beginning of every session, and
at any point where the category changes, that the Assembly is in general
or business or deliberative session.
♦
4. General session
The Assembly shall sit in general session for ceremonial occasions,
public acts of witness and formal addresses. Only matters proposed by the
Central Committee or by the Business Committee after its election shall
be considered.
5. Business session
The Assembly shall sit in business session when any of the following
types of business are to be considered : adoption of the agenda presented
by the Central Committee, any proposal for change in the agenda,
nominations, elections, proposals with reference to the structure, organi¬
zation, budget or programme of the World Council of Churches, or any
other business requiring action by the Assembly, except as provided in
paragraphs 4 and 6 of this Rule.
The Rules of Debate applicable to a business session are :
a) Moderator
The Moderator shall seek to achieve the orderly and responsible
despatch of business. He or she shall seek so far as possible to give
fair and reasonable opportunity for differing views to be expressed.
He or she shall ensure good order and the observance of the appropri-
Additional Documents 381
ate Rules of Debate and shall seek to ensure relevance and prevent
repetition. To those ends the Moderator may request a speaker to
move to another point or cease speaking. The Moderator shall grant
the right to speak and determine the order of speakers. His or her
decision is final in all matters except as to his or her decision on a
point of order under paragraph (u) below or his or her announcement
as to the sense of the meeting on an issue, under paragraph (1) below
or as to the result of voting under paragraphs (n) and (o) below.
b) Speaking
Any person desiring to speak shall stand in his or her place and speak
only when granted the right to do so by the Moderator. The speaker
shall state his or her name and church, and address his or her remarks
to the Moderator. A delegate may speak only to propose or second a
motion or amendment, to engage in the debate or to state a point of
order or procedure, and any other speaker only to engage in debate or
to state a point of procedure. Any speaker may give notice of his or
her desire to speak to the Moderator, and the Moderator shall have
regard to such notice, but the Moderator remains free to grant the right
to speak and determine the order of speakers under paragraph (a) of
this Rule.
c) Proposing a motion
A delegate who desires to propose any motion arising from business
on the agenda shall state it orally and, except in the case of a
privileged motion or motion under paragraphs (j) or (k) of this Rule,
shall furnish a written copy to the Moderator. A delegate who desires
to propose an item of new business shall follow the procedure set out
in Rule XV. 7.
d) Seconding a motion
A motion shall not be considered by the Assembly until it is seconded
by a delegate. When a motion has been seconded it may not be
withdrawn except with the general consent of the delegates present
and voting. If general consent is given for withdrawal any delegate
may then require the motion to be put in his or her own name.
e) Debate
When a motion has been seconded, the debate upon it shall be opened
by the delegate who proposed the motion. That delegate may speak
for not more than five minutes. That speech shall be followed by a
382 Signs of the Spirit
delegate speaking in opposition to the motion who may speak for not
more than five minutes. After that the speakers shall alternate as far as
the nature of the business allows between those who favour and those
who oppose the motion. Each may speak for not more than five
minutes. When the debate is closed, the delegate who proposed the
motion may reply, but shall speak for not more than three minutes. No
other speaker may speak more than once on the motion.
f) Amendment
Any delegate may propose an amendment to a motion in the same
manner as a motion. Paragraphs (c), (d) and (e) of this Rule shall
apply to an amendment as they apply to a motion. The debate on an
amendment shall be limited to the amendment. The proposer of the
motion shall be given the opportunity to speak in the debate on an
amendment. The Moderator shall rule out of order and not receive an
amendment which is substantially the negative of the motion being
debated.
g) Amendment to an amendment
Any delegate may propose an amendment to an amendment in the
same manner as an amendment, but the Moderator shall rule out of
order and not receive an amendment to an amendment to an
amendment. Paragraphs (c), (d), (e) and (f) of this Rule shall apply
to an amendment to an amendment as they apply to an amendment.
h) Debate and voting on amendments
The debate and vote shall be first upon the amendment to the
amendment then upon the amendment, and finally upon the motion.
When an amendment to an amendment or an amendment has been
voted upon, an additional amendment to the amendment or an
amendment may be proposed, but the Moderator shall rule out of
order and not receive an amendment to an amendment or an
amendment substantially to the same effect as one already voted
upon.
i) Rights of Moderator to take part in a debate
The Moderator shall not propose a motion or amendment or partici¬
pate in debate without handing over his or her duties to another
presiding officer and shall not, after that, preside again until that
matter of business has been decided.
Additional Documents 383
j) Privileged motions
Any delegate who has not previously spoken on a motion or amend¬
ment may move at any time, but not so as to interrupt a speaker, one
of the following privileged motions, which shall take precedence over
pending business, and shall have priority in the order listed, the
motion with the highest priority being listed first :
1) To recess or to adjourn
If the Assembly decides to recess or adjourn, the matter pending at
recess or adjournment shall be taken up when the Assembly
reconvenes, unless there is an “order of the day» at that time, in
which event the matter pending at recess or adjournment shall be
taken up at the conclusion of the “order of the day » or at such time
as the Business Committee proposes.
2) That the question not he put
If the Assembly agrees that the question shall not be put, it shall
pass to the next business without taking a vote or decision.
3) To postpone indefinitely
When a matter has been postponed indefinitely, it may not be
taken up again at the entire meeting of the Assembly, except with
the consent of two-thirds of the delegates present and voting.
4) To postpone to a time specified
When a matter is postponed to a time specified, it becomes the
“order of the day» for that time and takes precedence over all
other business.
5) To refer to a committee
When a matter is referred to a committee, the committee shall
report on it during the meeting of the Assembly unless the
Assembly itself directs otherwise.
Once a privileged motion has been seconded, a vote on it shall be
taken immediately without debate.
k) Motion to close debate
Any delegate may propose a motion to close debate at any time but
not so as to interrupt another speaker. If seconded, a vote shall be
taken immediately without debate on the following question: Shall
384 Signs of the Spirit
debate on the pending motion (or amendment) be closed? If two-
thirds of the delegates present and voting agree, a vote shall be taken
immediately without further debate on the pending motion (or amend¬
ment). After the vote on a pending amendment to an amendment, or
on a pending amendment, the debate shall continue on the amendment
or on the main motion as the case may be. A further motion to close
debate can be made on any business then pending. If a motion to close
debate is proposed and seconded on the main motion, before the vote
is taken on that motion, the Assembly shall be informed of the names
of delegates wishing to speak and any amendments remaining and the
Moderator may ask the members of the Assembly for a show of hands
of any wishing to speak.
l) Sense of the meeting
The Moderator shall seek to understand the sense of the meeting on a
pending matter and may announce it without taking a vote. Any
delegate may challenge the Moderator’s decision on the sense of the
meeting, and the Moderator may then either put the matter to the vote
under paragraph (n) below or allow further discussion and again
announce the sense of the meeting.
m) Moderator to put question
The Moderator shall put each matter not otherwise decided to a vote.
n) Voting — by show of hands
At the end of a debate, the Moderator shall read the motion or
amendment and shall seek to ensure that delegates understand the
matter upon which the vote is to be taken. Voting shall ordinarily be
by show of hands. The Moderator shall first ask those in favour to
vote; then those opposing; then those who abstain from voting. The
Moderator shall then announce the result.
o) Voting — by count or secret written ballot
If the Moderator is in doubt, or for any other reason decides to do so, or if
any delegate demands it, a vote on the matter shall be taken immediately
by count on a show of hands or by standing. The Moderator may appoint
tellers to count those voting and abstaining. Any delegate may propose
that the Assembly vote on any matter by secret written ballot, and if
seconded and a majority of the delegates present and voting agree, a
secret Written ballot shall be taken. The Moderator shall announce the
result of any count or secret written ballot.
Additional Documents 385
p) Results of voting
A majority of the delegates present and voting shall determine any
matter unless a higher proportion is required by the Constitution or
these Rules. If the vote results in a tie, the matter shall be regarded as
defeated. The number of those abstaining from voting however
numerous shall have no effect on the result of the vote.
q) Voting by Moderator
Any Moderator entitled to vote may vote in a secret written ballot or
any vote by show of hands or standing, or may vote if the vote results
in a tie, but in no case shall he or she vote more than once.
r) Reconsideration
Any two delegates who previously voted with the majority on any
matter which has been voted upon may request the Business
Committee to propose to the Assembly that that matter be reconsid¬
ered. The Business Committee may agree with or refuse that
request, but if they refuse, those delegates may follow the procedure
set out in Rule XV. 7, except that a matter shall not be reconsidered
unless two-thirds of the delegates present and voting concur in the
reconsideration.
s) Dissent and abstention
Any delegate voting with the minority or abstaining may have his or
her name recorded.
t) Point of order or procedure
Any delegate may raise a point of order or procedure and may, if
necessary, interrupt another delegate to do so. As a point of order, a
delegate may only assert that the procedure being followed is not in
accordance with these Rules. As a point of procedure, a speaker may
only ask for clarification of the pending matter.
u) Appeal against Moderator’s decision
Any delegate may appeal the decision of the Moderator concerning a
point of order, as defined in paragraph (t). If such an appeal is made
the Moderator shall put the following question to the Assembly
without further debate : Shall the Assembly concur in the decision of
the Moderator? A majority of the delegates present and voting shall
determine the appeal.
386 Signs of the Spirit
v) Time limits
The Moderator may, at his or her discretion, allow extra time to any
speaker if the Moderator believes that injustice may be done to a
member through difficulty of language or translation, or for any other
reason, or because of the complexity of the matter under debate.
6. Deliberative session
The Assembly shall sit in deliberative session when the matters before it
are of such a theological or general policy nature that detailed amendment
is impracticable. Reports of sections shall be discussed in deliberative
session. Any committee or other body reporting may recommend to the
Business Committee that its report be considered in deliberative session.
The Rules of Debate applicable to a deliberative session are the same as
those for a business session, except that the following additional rules
shall apply:
a) Motions permitted:
In addition to privileged motions or the motion to close debate, under
paragraphs 5 (j) and (k), the only motion which may be proposed
regarding matters to be considered in a deliberative session are:
1) to approve the substance of the report and commend it to the
churches for study and appropriate action;
2) to refer to the body reporting with instructions to consider whether
a new or different emphasis or emphases shall be incorporated in
the report;
3) to instruct the body reporting to provide, in consultation with the
Business Committee, for an open hearing on the report before
reporting again.
b) Matters concerning ecclesiological self-understanding :
Where a matter being raised is considered by a member to go against
the ecclesiological self-understanding of his or her church, he or she
may request that it not be put to the vote. The Moderator will in such a
case seek the advice of the Business Committee or the Executive
Committee in consultation with this member and other members of
the same church or confession present at the session. If there is
consensus that the matter does in fact go against the ecclesiological
self-understanding of the member, the Moderator will announce that
the matter be dealt with in deliberative session without vote. The
Additional Documents 387
materials and minutes of the discussion will be sent to the churches for
their study and comment.
c) Speaking
Any person presenting a report may also speak in the debate for
purposes of clarification or explanation if the Moderator allows him or
her to do so.
7. New business or change in the agenda
When any delegate desires to have an item of business included on, or any
change in, the agenda and the Central Committee or Business Committee
after its election has after consideration not agreed to its acceptance, he or
she may inform the Moderator in writing. The Moderator shall at a
convenient time read the item of business or proposed change and a
member of the Business Committee shall explain the reasons for its
refusal. The delegate may then give the reasons for its acceptance. The
Moderator shall then without further debate put the following question to
the Assembly : Shall the Assembly accept this item of business/proposal ?
A majority of the delegates present and voting shall determine the
question. If the Assembly votes in favour of the acceptance of the item of
business or change, the Business Committee shall make proposals as soon
as possible for the inclusion of the item of business or for the change, in
the agenda.
8. Languages
The working languages in use in the World Council of Churches are
English, French, German, Russian and Spanish. The General Secretary
shall make reasonable effort to provide interpretation from any one of
those languages into the others. A speaker may speak in another language
only if he or she provides for interpretation into one of the working
languages. The General Secretary shall provide all possible assistance to
any speaker requiring an interpreter.
9. Suspension of rules
Any delegate may propose that any Rule of Debate may be suspended. If
seconded, the rule shall be suspended only by vote of two-thirds of the
delegates present and voting.
388 Signs of the Spirit
10. Central Committee
The Central Committee shall sit in business session, unless it decides to
sit in general or deliberative session, and shall follow the appropriate
Rules of Debate for that category of session as are applied in the
Assembly, except insofar as the Central Committee may decide other¬
wise.
XVI. Amendments
Amendments to these Rules may be moved at any session of the
Assembly or at any session of the Central Committee by any member and
may be adopted by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting,
except that no alteration in Rules I, V and XVI shall come into effect until
it has been confirmed by the Assembly. Notice of a proposal to make any
such amendment shall be given in writing at least twenty-four hours
before the session of the Assembly or Central Committee at which it is to
be moved.
Acknowledgments
The WCC wishes to thank all those who have contributed to the
planning and organization of the seventh assembly, for their time,
services, cooperation, gifts and financial support:
— the member churches for their financial contributions ;
— the Australian churches for their welcome and gifts ;
— Aboriginal people for their welcome, participation and contributions,
their paintings, the banners and tote bags;
— the members and volunteers of the Australian National Coordinating
Committee and the Canberra Churches Assembly Committee ;
— the Australian National University, the conference office, the colleges
and halls, the Union, the faculties, the Instructional Resources Unit,
the Arts Centre, the Buildings and Grounds and many other staff;
— the University of Canberra;
— the National Convention Centre;
— City Uniting Church, Canberra;
— Canberra Presbytery, Uniting Church;
— Federal Government of Australia;
— Australian Capital Territory government;
— ACTION buses ;
— Australia Post;
— Telecom Australia;
— John Cobum, designer of the plenary hall backdrop;
— Allan Spira, architect and designer;
— architecture students at the University of Canberra;
— Margaret Gambold and Susan Daily, assembly banners;
— Penelope Donovan, graphic designer;
— Tom Hewitt, exhibition designer;
— Ansett Airlines of Australia;
— Apple Computer Australia Pty Ltd;
390 Signs of the Spirit
— Austrade;
— Banksia Information Technology (Australia) Pty Ltd;
— Bible Society of Australia;
— Blue Chip Electronics Pty Ltd;
— British Airways ;
— Canon of Australia;
— Canweb Printing Pty Ltd;
— Coles New World;
— Conference Solutions;
— Copy-Qik;
— Kawai;
— Link Communications ;
— Microsoft Pty Ltd;
— MTS Travel Service, USA;
— Netcom (Australia) ;
— Pirie Printers;
— Qantas Airways Ltd;
— Raptim Travel Agency, Geneva;
— Sanitarium Health Foods ;
— Stewardship of Australia;
— Stewart Barlen Pty Ltd, hire services, especially for the worship tent;
— Toshiba (Australia) Pty Ltd;
— United Airlines ;
— Wang (Australia).
Index
aboriginal people 1, 6, 13, 80, 109,
118, 161, 216, 246, 271, 276-278
Africa 85, 109,245,271
African National Congress 221
Agricultural policy 64
Amsterdam (1948) 135, 144
anthropocentrism 43
anthropomonism 116, 256
anti-semitism 80
apartheid 219
apostolic faith 124, 173, 174
Arab nations 205
Armenia 230
arms 214, 224, 242
Asia 85,245,271
assemblies — WCC 6, 28
assembly — programme and agenda
260-264
assembly — report 235-258
Assisi (1986) 269
asylum-seekers 224
Australia 12-14, 109, 216, 236, 237,
278
Australian churches 218, 236, 277
Australian Council of Churches 23,
277
authority 98
Azerbaijan 230
Babel-tower 41-42
Baltic states 228-231
baptism 112, 173, 250, 253
baptism — recognition of 190
baptism, eucharist, ministry (BEM
document) 5 1 , 97 , 100, 129, 138,
165, 170, 174, 184,249,269
base communities 113, 163-164
Basel (1989) 116, 208, 256
Budapest 129
Canada 70, 81
Canadian Council of Churches 208
Caribbean 85, 245
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the
Pacific 227
charismatic movements 107-108
charter of Paris 229
children 64, 156,246,271
China Christian Council 9-19
Christian-Muslim relations 212
Christian world communions 176-177
Chung Hyun Kyung — presentation
15-16
church 29-30
church — body of Christ 51, 168, 252
churches — ecclesiological self¬
understanding 140
Church (The) : Local and Universal
140
Cold War 150-151
colonialism 81
Columbus’ arrival in the Americas :
500th anniversary 81-82, 217, 246
Come, Holy Spirit — Renew the
Whole Creation 14-16, 27-47, 147,
151
committedness 143
common baptism 248
common faith 185
common vision 26, 280
common witness 179
communication 50, 83-84, 247
392 Signs of the Spirit
communion — certain degree of 173
communism 105
community 153-154
community in sharing 103
community of women and men 98, 99,
250, 270
conciliarity 169
Conference of European Churches 208
Conference on Security and
Cooperation in Europe 229
Confessing the One Faith 129
consumerism 59, 85
contextual theology 16, 109, 190
covenanting 104, 169
creation 36, 37, 116, 134, 152-153,
172, 191,239,256
creation theology 43, 54-59, 239, 282
culture 102
Cyprus 206
Dalits 44, 80,217
Darwin (1989) 133,216
Day of Prayer for Peace (1990) 269
debt crisis 77, 79, 114, 157,241,245,
255
deforestation 56
delegates — assembly 8-9, 24
democracy 65
desertification 56
deterrence 87
development 64
dialogue with ideologies 105-107
dialogue with other religions 36, 58,
104-107, 161-162, 191,224,280
dialogues — bilateral 126, 166, 173,
176
dialogues — multilateral 126, 173,
176
differently-abled persons 9,58, 121 ,
124, 143, 189,274-276
diversity 51, 173,237,249
division 96, 107, 168, 172, 238, 250,
270
Dominican Republic 81
dualism 44, 57
Earth charter 65 , 243
Eastern Europe 124, 126, 150, 172,
245,285
Eastern Orthodox churches 115, 265
ecclesiology 97-99, 99
ecology 55, 56, 59-67, 241
economic systems 49-50
economics 59-67, 242
economy 241
Ecumenical Decade of the Churches in
Solidarity with Women 80, 82, 91,
116, 142, 170, 183, 192,248,271
ecumenical education 180
ecumenical formation 182
Ecumenical Prayer Cycle 131
education 243
El Escorial (1987) 102, 132
El Salvador 232-233
election 19-20
environment 55-56
epiclesis 30
ethic 59-67, 154
ethnicity 106, 246
eucharist30, 119, 167,238,248,281
eucharistic fellowship 167, 170, 173,
250, 268
Europe 71, 80, 85
evangelicals 9, 107, 177, 251, 282-
286
evangelism 101, 106, 113, 188
family 117,248,257
famine 275
fanaticism — religious 101
Finance Committee — report 192-201
financial contribution 194
forgiveness 161
freedom 52-53, 73, 244
free- market economy 61, 63, 65, 77-
78, 105,242,253
Frontier Internship in Mission 177
full communion 173
fundamentalism 106, 253
fund-raising 195
general secretary’s report 150-169
genocide 161
Georgia 23 1
Giver of Life — Sustain Your Creation
54-72, 238-244
glory of God 54, 152
Index 393
God 29
God — compassionate 40
God — creator 56, 116, 239
God — transcendence 57
gospel and culture 6, 16, 98, 102, 170,
183-184, 188,237,252
grassroots 59, 168
greenhouse effect 209, 227, 228, 273
Guidelines for Sharing 102, 132, 252
Gulf war 6, 11-12, 19,40, 161,203,
205-216,237,242,270,285
Han 39-41
hierarchy of truths 179
history 158-159, 160
holiness 36-37, 52-53, 192
Holy Spirit 28-37, 48, 104, 107, 112-
117, 128, 148, 151-164,236,251,
254,265,281
Holy Spirit - gifts 31, 107, 172, 248
Holy Spirit — operation 30
Holy Spirit — Transform and Sanctify
Us 111-122,253-258
Holy Trinity 28, 108, 113, 254
hope 114, 158,255,258
human rights 92, 224, 245, 273
humanity 57, 153
hunger 61, 150
hymnbook — ecumenical 120
ideologies 60, 253
immigrants 114
inclusive language 90-91, 235
inclusivity 118, 257
indigenous peoples 6, 58, 81-82, 161,
216-219,240,271
individualism 106
industrial waste 226
injustice 191
intercession 131
interchurch aid 133
internal conflicts 223-226
International Court of Justice 245, 247
international economic order 63, 69,
76
international law 210
Iraq 205, 207
Islam 109, 161
Israel 203,205,214
Israel — occupied territories 208
Jaffna peninsula 23 1
Jesus Christ 57
Jesus Christ — Lordship 172, 250
John Paul II 177
Joint Working Group between the
Roman Catholic Church and the
WCC 126, 136, 140, 178-188
JPIC 18, 100, 102, 105, 109, 126,
169, 245, 247
just war 150, 156
justice 206, 245
justice, peace and the integrity of
creation 67, 68-69, 82, 99, 102,
116, 124, 134-136, 184, 186-187,
270,272,275,283,285
Karabagh 230
Kirchentag 164
koinonia30, 97-98, 139, 172-174,
186, 248-250
Korea 45
Kurdish people 206
Kuwait 205 , 207
laity 117, 120, 189,257
land rights 216-219
Lamaca (1986) 133, 138
Latin America 86, 108, 245, 251, 271
Latin American Council of Churches
108,208,251
Lausanne Committee for World
Evangelization 177, 283
Lebanon 205 , 209
liberal democracy 160
liberation 156-158
liberation theology 44
life-centrism 43
life-styles 62, 68
Life and Work 144
Lima liturgy 21, 236
local communities 242
Lund (1952) 116
Madras (1989) 133
malnutrition 275
394 Signs of the Spirit
mammon 41-42
Mandela, Nelson 221
marginalized people 106, 271
market 157
Marxism 105, 253
materialism 85, 106, 242
media 83, 210, 247
Melbourne (1980) 266
Mennonite communities 115, 256
message — assembly 1-4
message from the pre-assembly
women’s meeting 270-272
message from the pre-assembly youth
event 272-274
message of Alexy II 267-268
message of Ecumenical Patriarch 265-
267
message of Pope John Paul II 269-270
Middle East 86, 107, 203, 205-216,
246, 273
Middle East Council of Churches 208
migration 79-80
militarism 206
militarization 61, 70, 85, 271
missiles 226
mission 100-104, 106, 113, 145, 152,
187-188,250-252,254
mixed marriages 166, 179
moderator’s report 127-149
modernity 152
modernization 106
monastic orders 163-164
Nairobi (1975) 123, 134, 147
Namibia 160
national Christian councils 174-175
National Council of the Churches of
Christ in the USA 208
national security 50
nationalism 106, 253
nature 43
new creation 54, 67, 115, 243, 255
New Delhi (1961) 144, 265, 268
new world order 210-212
Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed 129,
174
non-violence 192, 204
nuclear testing 228, 273
nuclear waste 226
oikoumene 245
oil 209
one-sided criticism 204
oppression 121, 223
Oriental Orthodox churches 115, 256
Orthodox and Uniates conflict 166,
178, 229
Orthodox churches 171, 285
Orthodox churches — relations with
the WCC 282
Orthodox participants — concerns
279-282
Orthodox unity 115
ozone shield 56, 273
Pacific 70, 86, 226-228, 245, 271
Pacific Conference of Churches 227
pacifism 204
Palestinians 214
Parthenios III 27-37
participants — assembly 7-9
participation 6, 24, 141, 187, 189,
238,275
patriarchy 106
peace 85-89, 118, 205-216, 257
peace churches 103
penitence 113
Pentecost 30, 254, 272
Pentecostals 107-108, 251
people of other faiths 215, 249, 252
pneumatology 108, 266, 281
political judgment 159
pollution 56
poor 58, 114, 240,271
population growth 61 , 241
pornography 84, 247
poverty 61, 85, 150, 248, 275
power 66, 118
prayer 192, 266
pre-assembly women’s conference 22
programme guidelines — Vancouver
127-149
Programme Policy Committee —
report 183-192
proselytism 101
public issues 202-234
quota system 142, 281
Index 395
racism 79-83, 121, 191,212,217,
220, 246, 271
reconciliation 3, 52, 100-106, 103,
104, 190,249,254,269,273
reconciliation of Christians and
Muslims 109
Reference Committee — report 169-
182
Reformed churches 115, 256
refugees 79-80, 1 14, 224, 273
regional ecumenical organizations
175-176, 179
regions — issues 109-111
religious identity 224
renewal — spiritual 119
repentance 42-46, 55, 115, 239, 244
Report Committee — report 236-258
resource-sharing 157, 184, 245
Roman Catholic Church 80, 98, 116,
165, 177-182,246
Roman Catholic Church — WCC
membership 165
Roman Catholic Episcopal
Conferences 256
Romania 147, 160
Romero, Archbishop 233
Ruach 270
Russian Orthodox Church 267
Rustenburg (1990) 221 , 223
sabbath 59, 1 14, 255
sacraments 30-3 1
salvation 188, 252
San Antonio (1989) 100, 145, 216
sanctification 256
sanctions 207-208, 214, 219, 222
science 240
science and technology 70
sectarianism 107
Section I — assembly 54-72, 238-244
Section II — assembly 73-96, 244-248
Section III — assembly 96-111, 109,
248-253
Section IV — assembly 111-122, 253-
258
secularization 106
security 85-89
sending churches 101
Seoul (1990) 1 16, 134, 135, 180, 206,
218
separation 33
sexism 247
sexual harrassment 89
sexuality 89
Sharia 92
sharing 59, 100-104, 248, 252
shoa 161
sin 33, 57, 60, 1 1 1 , 239, 244, 250,
273
sin — collective 157
social justice 55, 77
social responsibility 155
Sodepax 180
South Africa 150, 219-223
South African Council of Churches
221
Spirit of Truth — Set us Free 73-96,
220-223, 244-248
Spirit of Unity — Reconcile Your
People 96-111,248-253
spirit of truth 49
spirits 39-41, 112, 117,256,281
spirituality 53, 59, 66, 109, 111-122,
192, 240, 254
spirituality for combat 156
Sri Lanka 231-232
starvation 210
stewardship 58, 119
sub-themes — assembly 48-54
sustainability 60, 63, 240
syncretism 15, 125, 170, 285
Taize 164
team visits 171-172
terrorism 209
theme — assembly 14-16, 128, 151-
155,265,269,281
theological advisory group 137
third- world theologies 16
Toronto declaration 268, 281
Torres Strait Islanders 216, 218
tourism 227
toxic waste 273
Trinitarian faith 154
Triune God 158, 238
truth 49, 220, 244
396 Signs of the Spirit
Ukraine 166, 229
unity 97-99, 104-107, 115, 184, 249,
255,269
unity — gift of God 1 86
unity — visible 35, 51, 108, 115, 168,
170, 173-174, 186, 190, 269, 279
unity and diversity 97-98
unity of the church 139, 164-168, 172-
174, 179, 250, 279
Unity of the Church and the Renewal
of Human Community 144
Unity of the Church as Koinonia: Gift
and Calling 126, 136, 249
unity of the world 36
unity we seek 98
Universal Declaration of Human
Rights 64, 243
UNO 78, 86, 92, 210-212, 214, 225,
245, 247
UNO Conference of Environment and
Development-Brazil 1992 69, 243
UNO Declaration on Apartheid 220
URSS 147,228-231
USA 70,81,86
Vancouver to Canberra — central
committee report 123, 183-184
violence 84
visitors’ programme 22
vital and coherent theology 16, 25,
124, 136-139, 170, 185,283
war 85, 203, 205, 209,
WCC79, 82, 88,91, 101, 144
WCC — activities, past and future
123-201; basis 280; central
committee 130; constitution 358-
362; decision-making 281; ecclesial
self-understanding 124, 170;
executive committee 130; Faith and
Order Commission 108, 129, 144,
166, 249, 280; finances 123, 145-
146, 192-201, 200-201; member
churches 146; organization 200;
Programme to Combat Racism 133;
relationship with member churches
171-172; relationship with Roman
Catholic Church 124; restructuring
130, 145; rules 362-388; staff 124;
vision 186-188
weapons of mass destruction 226
WHO 228,275
wholeness of mission 100
wild ecumenism 164
witness 173-174
WMCA/YWCA 177
women 22, 58, 80, 82, 89-91, 109,
114, 142, 189, 192,213,240,246,
248,270,285
women’s ordination 90, 125, 281
women in the church 90
world conference on Faith and Order
(1993) 168
World Conference on Religion and
Peace 177
World Evangelical Fellowship 283
world economic order 114, 245
worship 20-22, 68, 108, 109, 119,
120, 131
WSCF 177
youth 9, 22, 107, 110, 119, 120, 143,
189,213,245,257,270,273
youth gathering in Brazil (1992) 124,
143, 284
i
Signs of the Spirit is the official report of the seventh assembly
of the World Council of Churches which met in Canberra,
Australia, 7 to 20 February 1991. It tells the story of the
assembly, and includes in full the major presentations made at
the assembly, the reports received or adopted by the assembly
and the statements issued by it.
The theme of Canberra, “Come, Holy Spirit — Renew the
Whole Creation”, was not only the first assembly theme to
focus on the activity of the Spirit but also the first to take the
form of a prayer. The Australian setting called the churches’
attention to an often-neglected part of the world. At Canberra
the church in China rejoined the global fellowship, and start¬
ling developments in South Africa and Europe were cele¬
brated and discussed. And, of course, Canberra will be
remembered as gathering under the shadow of war.
This assembly also placed enormous challenges on the
agenda of the WCC and its member churches. The question of
the gospel’s relation to culture was raised more directly and
pointedly than ever before. While the need for inculturation is
widely accepted, the forms it must take and the limits that
must be set continue to be controversial. And questions of
participation — of women, youth, laity, and the differently-
abled — cry out for further attention. So do questions raised
about the limits of participation.
The Rev. Dr Michael Kinnamon is dean of Lexington
Theological Seminary, Kentucky, USA. He was on the staff
of the WCC’s Faith and Order sub-unit from 1980 to 1983.
WCC Publications
121 1 Geneva 2,
Switzerland
Wm. B. Eerdmans
Publishing Co.,
Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
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